Google parent moves to a majority voting approach for directors

Google parent Alphabet Inc. said it altered rules for electing board members, switching to a system considered better for corporate accountability.
 

Going forward, members of the company’s directors will be elected by a majority vote, according to a company filing on Monday. The board approved the decision last week.
 

Previously, Alphabet’s board operated on a plurality voting system -- a director is elected if she gets more votes than opposing candidates. Since most board candidates run uncontested, this system virtually guaranteed the company’s choice.
 

“It’s some indication that they’re hearing that shareholders want more accountability,” Jill E. Fisch, a professor