Voting Mechanisms

Choosing a Voting System

Different voting mechanisms balance efficiency, decentralization, and security differently. Each system has tradeoffs between plutocracy (token concentration), sybil resistance, and voter participation.

🔢 Voting Power Calculator

Compare how different mechanisms translate tokens into voting power:

Tokens Owned100

Your Voting Power

100

1 token = 1 vote

Token-Weighted: Standard 1 token = 1 vote. Simple but vulnerable to plutocracy—large holders control decisions. Used by Compound, Uniswap, Aave.

Mechanism Comparison

Mechanism	Plutocracy Risk	Sybil Resistance	Complexity	Example
Token-Weighted	🔴 High	🟢 High	🟢 Low	Compound, Uniswap
Quadratic	🟡 Medium	🔴 Low	🟡 Medium	Gitcoin
Conviction	🟡 Medium	🟢 High	🟡 Medium	Polkadot
Delegated	🟡 Medium	🟢 High	🟡 Medium	ENS, Optimism

Vote Delegation

Delegation allows token holders to assign their voting power to trusted representatives without transferring tokens. This combats voter apathy while preserving decentralization.

Delegation Example (ENS)

// Delegate voting power to an address
function delegate(address delegatee) external

// Example: Delegate 10,000 ENS voting power
ENS.delegate("0x123...abc")

// Delegatee can now vote with your 10,000 tokens
// You retain token ownership and can redelegate anytime
// Common delegates: a16z, Gitcoin, Fire Eyes DAO

Advanced Mechanisms

🎯 Quorum Requirements

Minimum participation threshold for valid votes (e.g., 400K COMP). Prevents low-turnout attacks but can lead to governance gridlock if set too high.

Compound: 400K COMP • Uniswap: 40M UNI • Aave: 320K AAVE

📸 Snapshot Voting

Off-chain voting with on-chain verification. Free to vote (no gas), results binding through social consensus. Used for non-critical decisions.

Platform: snapshot.org • Free votes • EIP-712 signatures

⚖️ Veto Power

Special addresses that can cancel proposals (security multisig, community guardians). Centralization tradeoff for security against governance attacks.

Used by: MakerDAO (emergency shutdown) • Optimism (Security Council)

🔄 Continuous Voting

Proposals can be voted on anytime, taking effect when threshold is reached. No fixed voting periods. Used by Moloch DAO for ragequit protection.

Used by: Moloch DAO • Enables instant ragequit before execution

⚠️ The Plutocracy Problem

Token-weighted voting concentrates power with large holders. In Compound, the top 10 addresses control ~40% of voting power. Solutions include:

•Quadratic voting (reduces whale influence)
•Delegation (distributes power to active participants)
•High quorum thresholds (requires broad consensus)
•Time-locks + veto power (safety mechanisms)

⚙️ Voting Mechanisms: On-Chain vs Off-Chain

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