The John M. Olin Center
Paper Abstract
428. Lucian Arye Bebchuk, Shareholder Access to the Ballot, 08/2003; subsequently published as "The Case for Shareholder Access to the Ballot" in The Business Lawyer, Vol. 59, No. 1, November 2003, 43-66.
Abstract: The SEC is now considering a proposal to require public companies to include in their proxy materials candidates for the board nominated by shareholders. Providing such shareholder access to the corporate ballot, I argue, would improve corporate governance. Analyzing each of the objections that have been raised against such shareholder access, I conclude that none of them provides a good basis for opposing shareholder access. The case for shareholder access is strong.