{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/special-voting-rights","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/special-voting-rights","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"special-voting-rights","term":"Special voting rights","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"These are extra powers given to certain shareholders, letting them control decisions disproportionately. You need to understand who holds them, as they can impact your control post-acquisition.","what_it_means":"In a stock purchase, existing shareholders might have special voting rights that give them more influence than their ownership percentage suggests. This can complicate governance post-acquisition, especially if the seller retains a minority stake. Always review the corporate bylaws and shareholder agreements to identify any such rights and how they transfer or are extinguished.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/special-voting-rights","official_sources":[],"related":[{"slug":"stock-purchase","term":"Stock purchase","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/stock-purchase"},{"slug":"legal-structure","term":"Legal structure","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/legal-structure"},{"slug":"conversion-rights","term":"Conversion rights","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/conversion-rights"},{"slug":"partnership","term":"Partnership","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/partnership"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Can an SBA 7(a) loan finance the purchase of intellectual property rights from a third party?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/can-an-sba-7-a-loan-finance-the-purchase-of-intellectual-property-rights-from-a-third-part"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Special voting rights","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/special-voting-rights","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}