The vote was scheduled at a special shareholders meeting at the company's headquarters in Round Rock, Texas. Dell called the meeting to order, then quickly adjourned it without a formal vote.
Supporters believe Dell stands a better chance of turning around if it can make long-term strategic decisions without worrying about meeting Wall Street's quarter-to-quarter expectations.
But some big investors had signaled opposition to the bid. Activist investor Carl Icahn believes the offer undervalues the company.