Methods and systems for consolidating, distributing and integrating issuer information for a voting entity

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for consolidating, distributing and integrating issuer information for a voting entity. More particularly, in one embodiment of the present invention a computer implemented voting method is provided, comprising: consolidating vote request information relating to a security owned by a beneficial owner and held by at least two custodians for the beneficial owner; generating at least a first computer file including the consolidated vote request information; electronically transmitting the first computer file to a computer system of a voting entity; integrating the first computer file into a database associated with the computer system of the voting entity; receiving, at the computer system of the voting entity, at least one beneficial owner vote instruction sent from the beneficial owner; and generating at least one voting entity vote instruction responsive to the consolidated vote request information, wherein the voting entity vote instruction is generated by the computer system of the voting entity based at least in part upon the integrated first computer file and the beneficial owner vote instruction from the beneficial owner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented voting method, comprising:
 consolidating vote request information relating to a security owned by a beneficial owner and held by at least two custodians for the beneficial owner;   generating at least a first computer file including the consolidated vote request information;   electronically transmitting the first computer file to a computer system of a voting entity;   integrating the first computer file into a database associated with the computer system of the voting entity;   receiving, at the computer system of the voting entity, at least one beneficial owner vote instruction sent from the beneficial owner; and   generating at least one voting entity vote instruction responsive to the consolidated vote request information, wherein the voting entity vote instruction is generated by the computer system of the voting entity based at least in part upon the integrated first computer file and the beneficial owner vote instruction from the beneficial owner.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating at least a second computer file including confirmation of the receipt of the first computer file having the consolidated vote request information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second computer file is generated using the computer system of the voting entity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the generating of the first computer file is carried out by a data consolidation computer system and the second computer file is electronically transmitted to the data consolidation computer system from the computer system of the voting entity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising generating at least a third computer file including the voting entity vote instruction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the third computer file is generated using the computer system of the voting entity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third computer file is electronically transmitted to the data consolidation computer system from the computer system of the voting entity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising generating at least a fourth computer file including confirmation of the receipt of the third computer file having the voting entity vote instruction. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the fourth computer file is generated using the data consolidation computer system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fourth computer file is electronically transmitted to the computer system of the voting entity from the data consolidation computer system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving notice from an issuer of securities or their agent requiring distribution of vote request information. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the consolidating is carried out by a data consolidation computer system and the notice from the issuer of securities or their agent is electronically transmitted to the data consolidation computer system in the form of at least one computer file. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from each of the custodians, information relating to the security owned by the beneficial owner and held by the custodians for the beneficial owner. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the information relating to the security owned by the beneficial owner and held by the custodians for the beneficial owner is selected from the group including: (a) the name of the beneficial owner; (b) the address of the beneficial owner; (c) the share positions of the beneficial owner; and (d) at least one account number associated with the beneficial owner. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the consolidating is carried out by a data consolidation computer system and the information relating to the security owned by the beneficial owner and held by the custodians for the beneficial owner is electronically transmitted to the data consolidation computer system in the form of at least one computer file. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beneficial owner vote instruction is electronically transmitted to the computer system of the voting entity in the form of at least one computer file. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beneficial owner is an institutional shareholder. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vote request information relates to at least one of: (a) a domestic vote; (b) a contest vote; and (c) a non-North American vote. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are carried out in the order recited. 
     
     
         20 . A computer infrastructure apparatus for voting, comprising:
 a data consolidation computer system; and   a computer system of a voting entity;   wherein the data consolidation computer system consolidates vote request information relating to a security owned by a beneficial owner and held by at least two custodians for the beneficial owner;   wherein the data consolidation computer system generates at least a first computer file including the consolidated vote request information;   wherein the data consolidation computer system electronically transmits the first computer file to the computer system of the voting entity;   wherein the computer system of the voting entity integrates the first computer file into a database associated with the computer system of the voting entity;   wherein the computer system of the voting entity receives at least one beneficial owner vote instruction sent from the beneficial owner; and   wherein the computer system of the voting entity generates at least one voting entity vote instruction responsive to the consolidated vote request information, wherein the voting entity vote instruction is generated by the computer system of the voting entity based at least in part upon the integrated first computer file and the beneficial owner vote instruction from the beneficial owner.