Nominations

Two ways a name gets on the ballot

Most associations appoint a nominating committee that proposes a slate before the annual meeting. That slate is a starting point, not the final list. Under Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), the parliamentary authority most HOA bylaws name by default, a floor nomination (a nomination made by a member from the meeting floor rather than through the committee's slate) has to stay available at some point before the election happens, committee or no committee.

"even if a nominating committee is in place, under Robert's Rules, nominations from the floor are in order at some point before the election is pending."

Source: Candidate Nomination, FindHOALaw

A floor nomination also doesn't need the chair's permission to happen or a second member to back it up. Any member in good standing can simply stand up and name a candidate.

Saying yes isn't required, only being eligible

A common assumption is that you can't nominate someone who hasn't agreed to run. Under RONR, that's backwards. The only thing that has to be true at the moment of nomination is that the person qualifies for the office.

"The nomination is valid provided the nominee is qualified for election to the board; the nominee need not be contacted in advance of being placed on the ballot."

Source: Candidate Nomination, FindHOALaw

In practice, most boards still check with a nominee before the meeting so nobody is surprised, but that courtesy is a habit, not a rule.

What Robert's Rules doesn't decide

A candidate statement (a written statement a candidate submits before the meeting so members can review it before voting) feels like standard election machinery, but RONR itself says nothing about one. Its length, its deadline, and whether one is required at all come from somewhere else entirely.

Whether your association requires a candidate statement, how long it can be, and when it's due depend on your state's election statute, if one exists, and your association's own election rules. Check your governing documents before you tell a candidate what's expected of them.