As a trustee if it is a SMSF or family trust IMO they are obliged if you make contact to consider your ownership and direction to vote and can do it is different ways depending on deeds structure. Dig and push a little harder as I don't believe they always have ability to strip those rights from you. Its your money - your investment. It is getting much easier to move trustees , investment managers etc etc so they should start listening eventually I understand their point that in the old paper days they didn't wish to communicate with every investor and get direction but these days in reality all they would need to do is set up a page on a web site and opt in / out for voting by members. Most wouldn't bother as we know. In the US it is a obligation to ask and they just set a earlier day cut off to enable them to tally and lodge.
I have directed a different trustee in the past to vote as I requested ( wasn't easy but I persisted to prove point after being fobbed off but a letter telling them they were ultimately liable forced the proper response). They voted all shares in the end not just my minor holding so that upset a chairman IMO as they are use to no participation in general or just proxy advisors!
Check the deed for starters as that is the key document
Buying shares in various family members names by a number of people or financial advisor group in smaller companies with low shareholder base an influence outcome and send a message at low brokerage and risk.
On another point when organisations lend share they also lend voting rights which is something I find deplorable as they are lending / enabling to short term traders or shorters in general who have a totally different opinion on many company matters and ownership timeline. The income gained from lending in theory may save some admin costs but can kill capital value and confidence in a stock depending on timing. I see some now not lending over AGM periods or are lending without voting rights . People should check they are not allowing lending of their shares in smaller less liquid companies IMO.
Search for this and have a read but it is a few years old and many parts of deeds have been changed https://www.topdocs.com.au › files › technical_article › How_to_Vote_-_S...
Australian shareholders association has made various submissions to ASX / ASIC . 5th july and others had some detail . It shows the hole and required plug but is a slow process. They are perhaps a point of contact to ensure trustees allow owners to vote their holdings in the future in a easy format .
