More public companies see value in electronic delivery of proxymaterials and electronic voting, according to annual statisticsfrom Broadridge, a technology services company that provides proxyservices for investors who own shares through brokerage firms.

In fact, Broadridge, which handles 90% of proxy activity forshares held in street name, estimates that its technology savedcorporate issuers more than $522 million this proxy season byreducing printing and mailing costs for proxy materials—which costan average of around $5.80 per package—and helping companiesconsolidate the materials they do mail.

The average quorum at meetings between March 1 and June 1 was 82.7%. New rules from the Securities and ExchangeCommission led to a decrease in broker votes, but Broadridgestatistics show a greater percentage of votes were cast withshareholders' instructions this proxy season—67.9%, up slightlyfrom 67.2%. Broker voting accounted for only 14.8% of that 82.7%average quorum.