Majority: Voting Held accountable

The Securities and Exchange Commission let shareholders down last year when it backed off proposals giving them a real say in electing corporate directors. It dropped plans to scrap the current plurality vote system – which allows even the most feckless board members to hang on to their jobs with just a single vote cast in their favour – and replace it with a simple majority vote. But investors may get the powers they want after all. Nearly 80 companies will hold votes at their annual meetings ...