According to a company release, of the 55.1 million common shares outstanding, 69.8% voted for the merger; of the total common shares that cast a vote, 99% voted in for the merger. The move puts the deal on the path for an Oct. 22 closing date.

Equity adds it will "declare at a future date a pro rated dividend on the company's common shares subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions to the merger. The record date for the pro rated dividend will be the close of business on the last business day prior to the merger effective time." The dividend will be paid on the third business day after the merger closes.

Both parties entered into a definitive merger agreement on June 20, as GlobeSt.com previously reported. Under the deal, Whitehall will take all outstanding common shares of Equity Inns for $23 per share, cash. The price is a premium of approximately 28% over Equity Inns' 90-day average closing share price, Equity executives said at the time, and a premium of approximately 19% over the REIT's closing price on June 20.