Approval Voting is a single-winner or multi-winner electoral system where each voter can cast a vote for, or 'approve of,' any number of candidates on the ballot. The candidate(s) with the highest total number of approval votes wins. This contrasts with plurality voting (where you vote for only one) and ranked-choice voting (where you order preferences). Its core mechanism is simplicity: a voter's ballot is a set of candidates they consider acceptable, with no ranking or weighting between them. In blockchain contexts, this is often implemented via a smart contract where a token holder can allocate votes to multiple competing proposals simultaneously.
LABS
Glossary
Approval Voting
Approval voting is a voting system where participants can select (approve) any number of candidates or proposals, and the option with the most approvals wins.
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definition
GOVERNANCE MECHANISM
What is Approval Voting?
Approval Voting is a simple, non-ranked voting system used in on-chain governance where voters can select any number of candidates or proposals they find acceptable.
The primary advantages of Approval Voting in decentralized governance are its resistance to vote-splitting and encouragement of broad consensus. Since voters are not forced to choose a single favorite, they can support all options they find satisfactory without worrying about 'wasting' their vote on a less popular candidate. This reduces strategic voting and the 'spoiler effect' common in first-past-the-post systems. For example, in a DAO deciding between three protocol upgrades, a member could vote for both Proposal A and Proposal B if they believe either would be a positive change, thereby increasing the likelihood that a widely-accepted option wins.
A key critique of Approval Voting is that it does not capture the intensity of a voter's preference. Supporting a candidate you mildly approve of counts the same as supporting your top choice. This can sometimes lead to winners who are broadly acceptable but not deeply favored by any constituency. Furthermore, in large-scale elections, it may incentivize voters to approve only their absolute top choice to avoid boosting competitors, which can degenerate into plurality voting. These strategic nuances are important for DAOs to consider when designing their governance parameters and voter education campaigns.
In practice, blockchain projects like Snapshot facilitate Approval Voting for off-chain signaling, while on-chain implementations require careful smart contract design to manage gas costs and vote tallying. It is particularly well-suited for elections with multiple winners (e.g., selecting a committee) or for gauging consensus on a set of mutually compatible proposals. Its computational simplicity and straightforward auditability make it a durable and transparent option for decentralized autonomous organizations seeking a pragmatic governance mechanism.
how-it-works
BLOCKCHAIN GOVERNANCE
How Approval Voting Works
Approval voting is a governance mechanism where voters can select multiple options they find acceptable, rather than being forced to choose a single favorite.
Approval voting is a single-winner electoral system where each voter can cast a vote for, or "approve of," any number of candidates on a ballot. The candidate with the highest total number of approval votes wins. This contrasts with plurality voting ("first-past-the-post"), where voters select only one option. In blockchain contexts, this model is often implemented via on-chain smart contracts or off-chain snapshot votes to decide on protocol upgrades, treasury allocations, or parameter changes. Its key advantage is simplicity: voters express support for all proposals they consider acceptable, not just their top choice.
The mechanics are straightforward. Voters are presented with a set of options, which could be different Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), funding requests, or candidate DAO delegates. There is no ranking or preferential ordering; each selected option receives one equal vote from that voter. Tallying is additive: the total "yes" votes for each option are summed, and the option with the highest sum is enacted. This system reduces vote-splitting, where similar options divide a constituency's support, allowing a broadly acceptable compromise to emerge even if it isn't everyone's first preference.
In decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governance, approval voting helps surface consensus on non-binary decisions. For example, a DAO might use it to select one grant recipient from ten applicants, allowing members to support all projects they deem worthy. This often leads to more pragmatic and inclusive outcomes than majority vote systems. However, it requires careful ballot design to avoid bullet voting, where voters approve only their absolute favorite, effectively turning it into a plurality vote. Strategies like setting a minimum or maximum number of allowed approvals can mitigate this.
Compared to other quadratic voting or ranked-choice voting (RCV) systems, approval voting has lower computational and cognitive complexity, making it easier to implement on-chain and for voters to understand. Its limitations include the lack of intensity of preference—approving two options doesn't indicate which one a voter prefers more—and potential for tactical voting where voters withhold approval from a strong competitor to help their preferred choice. Despite this, its simplicity and effectiveness at finding consensus make it a popular choice for many blockchain governance frameworks.
key-features
VOTING MECHANISM
Key Features of Approval Voting
Approval Voting is a simple, expressive governance mechanism where voters can approve of any number of options in a single-choice contest.
01
Simple Ballot Design
Voters mark 'Yes' or 'Approve' for any candidate or proposal they find acceptable. This eliminates the complexity of ranking or allocating points. The option with the most approval votes wins. This simplicity reduces voter error and increases participation rates in governance contexts.
02
Expressive, Non-Binary Choice
Unlike first-past-the-post voting, which forces a single choice, Approval Voting allows voters to support multiple options. This enables nuanced expression, such as approving all acceptable candidates rather than being forced to choose a single 'favorite'. It prevents the vote-splitting problem common in plurality systems.
03
Resistance to Spoiler Effects
A key advantage is its resistance to the spoiler effect. Since voters can approve multiple similar options, the presence of a new, similar candidate does not automatically split the vote and cause a less-preferred candidate to win. This encourages a more diverse and competitive field of proposals or candidates.
04
Majority-Seeking Outcome
The winning option is the one with the broadest support, not necessarily an intense minority preference. It tends to elect Condorcet winners (candidates who would beat all others in head-to-head races) when voters vote sincerely. This promotes consensus and widely acceptable outcomes in DAO governance.
05
Strategic Voting Considerations
While simple, the system involves strategy. Voters must decide their approval threshold—whether to vote only for their top choice (bullet voting) or also for acceptable compromises. Widespread bullet voting can reduce it to a plurality system, while over-approval can lead to less distinctive outcomes.
06
Implementation in Blockchain
In DAOs and on-chain governance, Approval Voting is implemented via smart contracts. Voters typically sign transactions approving a set of proposal IDs. Gas costs are predictable as the transaction complexity is constant, regardless of the number of options approved. It's used by protocols like Snapshot for off-chain signaling.
examples
IMPLEMENTATIONS
Examples & Ecosystem Usage
Approval voting is a foundational governance mechanism used across DeFi, DAOs, and blockchain protocols to manage upgrades, treasury spending, and parameter changes.
05
Treasury Management in DAOs
Many DAOs use approval voting as their primary method for capital allocation. This involves multi-signature wallets or smart contracts that execute payments only after a proposal reaches a predefined approval threshold. Common use cases:
- Payroll and contributor compensation
- Funding development grants and bug bounties
- Purchasing assets or making strategic investments
06
Parameter Adjustment in Lending Protocols
Beyond major upgrades, approval voting is used for routine parameter tuning in algorithmic systems. In protocols like Aave, governance votes can adjust:
- Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios for specific collateral
- Liquidation thresholds and bonuses
- Reserve factors and interest rate models These continuous adjustments are critical for maintaining protocol solvency and efficiency.
COMPARISON
Approval Voting vs. Other Voting Systems
A feature and mechanism comparison of Approval Voting against common single-winner and multi-winner voting systems used in governance.
| Feature / Metric | Approval Voting | Plurality (First-Past-The-Post) | Ranked Choice (Instant Runoff) | Quadratic Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Voter Action | Approve any number of candidates | Select one candidate | Rank candidates in order of preference | Allocate voice credits to options |
Vote Splitting / Spoiler Effect | ||||
Requires Runoff Election | ||||
Expresses Preference Intensity | ||||
Tactical Voting Incentive | Low (Bullet voting possible) | High (Duverger's Law) | Medium (Favorite betrayal) | High (Credit allocation strategy) |
Simplicity for Voters | Very High | Very High | Medium | Low |
Simplicity of Tally | Very High (Summation) | Very High (Count) | Medium (Iterative elimination) | Medium (Square root sum) |
Typical Use Case | DAO committee elections, protocol upgrades | Traditional political elections | Political primaries, some corporate boards | Public goods funding, preference signaling |
advantages
KEY FEATURES
Advantages
Approval voting offers distinct benefits over single-choice systems by allowing voters to express nuanced preferences, which can lead to more representative and stable outcomes.
01
Reduces Vote Splitting
In single-choice plurality systems, similar candidates or proposals can split the vote, allowing an unpopular option to win. Approval voting eliminates this spoiler effect by letting voters support all acceptable options.
- Example: If 60% of voters prefer options A or B, but are split 35%/25%, a third option C with 40% support could win. With approval voting, voters can approve both A and B, ensuring one of the majority-preferred options wins.
02
Encourages Positive Campaigning
Because candidates benefit from being a second choice for voters, the strategic incentive shifts from attacking opponents to building broad, inclusive appeal. This can reduce negative campaigning and polarization.
- Mechanism: A candidate gains nothing from making another candidate unacceptable to their supporters, as voters can approve multiple candidates. The goal becomes expanding one's coalition of approving voters.
03
Simple & Familiar Ballot
The voting interface is exceptionally simple: voters mark 'yes' or 'approve' for any number of options. This mirrors common, low-cognitive-load actions like liking multiple social media posts or selecting multiple items from a list.
- Usability: Voters do not need to rank options, which can be difficult with many choices. This simplicity reduces ballot exhaustion and errors, potentially increasing participation and understanding.
04
Resistant to Tactical Voting
While no system is immune to strategy, approval voting is more strategy-resistant than ranked systems in many contexts. The optimal strategy for most voters is straightforward: approve every option you like more than you dislike.
- Contrast with Ranked-Choice: In Instant-Runoff Voting (IRV), complex strategies like burying (ranking a strong opponent last) can be necessary. Approval voting's simplicity makes such sophisticated tactics less viable and less rewarding.
05
Efficient & Cost-Effective Tallying
The counting process is a simple sum of approvals per option. This makes it computationally trivial, fast, and easy to audit manually or with software. It requires no multi-round tabulation or complex redistribution algorithms.
- Practical Benefit: This efficiency lowers administrative costs, speeds up result reporting, and increases transparency, as the path from raw ballots to a final result is direct and easily verifiable.
06
Reveals Broad Consensus
By measuring the breadth of support rather than just the depth of first-choice passion, approval voting identifies options with the widest acceptability. This is crucial for governance, where durable, legitimate decisions often require broad buy-in.
- Governance Application: In DAO proposals or protocol parameter changes, an option approved by 70% of voters is often a more stable and legitimate choice than one passionately favored by 40% but rejected by 60%.
limitations-considerations
APPROVAL VOTING
Limitations & Considerations
While a powerful mechanism for collective choice, approval voting introduces specific trade-offs and challenges in blockchain governance contexts.
01
Vote Splitting & The Center-Squeeze Effect
Approval voting can suffer from vote splitting where similar proposals or candidates split the approval of a shared voter base, allowing a less popular but more distinct option to win. This is related to the center-squeeze effect, where a moderate option preferred by a majority can lose to more extreme options if voters do not coordinate their approvals strategically.
02
Lack of Preference Intensity
The system records only approval or disapproval, not the strength of a voter's preference. A voter who strongly favors Proposal A and mildly approves Proposal B has the same binary voting power for each. This can lead to outcomes that don't reflect the electorate's passionate support or opposition on critical issues.
03
Strategic Voting & Bullet Voting
Voters may engage in strategic voting by approving only their absolute favorite option (bullet voting) to avoid boosting the chances of a close competitor. This behavior can undermine the system's goal of finding broad consensus and revert it toward a plurality-like outcome where the most passionate minority wins.
04
Implementation & Sybil Resistance
On-chain implementation requires robust Sybil resistance to prevent an attacker from creating multiple identities (Sybils) to cast approval votes. The cost of voting (e.g., gas fees, token locking) and the identity or stake-weighting mechanism are critical to maintaining the system's integrity against manipulation.
05
Winner Determination & Tie-Breaking
Determining the winner is straightforward (most approvals wins), but ties require a predefined, fair resolution mechanism. In multi-winner elections (e.g., electing a committee), the simple "top N" approach can lead to unrepresentative outcomes if a large bloc coordinates its approvals, highlighting the need for more advanced methods like proportional approval voting (PAV).
06
Voter Comprehension & UX
While simpler than ranked systems, the instruction "vote for all options you accept" can be counterintuitive. Voters accustomed to single-choice voting may not understand the strategic implications, leading to suboptimal use. Clear voter education and interface design are essential for realizing the system's benefits.
APPROVAL VOTING
Common Misconceptions
Approval voting is a governance mechanism where voters can select multiple options, but several persistent myths surround its implementation and impact in blockchain contexts.
This is a misconception; approval voting can produce highly decisive outcomes by revealing broader consensus. In single-choice voting, a proposal with 35% support might win against five alternatives each with 13% support, representing a minority winner. Approval voting allows voters to support all acceptable options, often revealing a single proposal that garners overwhelming, cross-faction approval—a true consensus candidate. It surfaces the option with the widest acceptability, not just the most intense support from a narrow group, leading to more legitimate and stable governance decisions.
APPROVAL VOTING
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Approval voting is a foundational mechanism in decentralized governance. These questions address its core mechanics, strategic implications, and practical applications across blockchain protocols.
Approval voting is a governance mechanism where voters can select (approve) any number of candidates or proposals on a ballot, and the option with the most total approvals wins. Unlike single-choice voting, it allows for nuanced expression of support. In a blockchain context, a token holder might vote for multiple competing proposals in a single round if they find several acceptable. The tally is a simple count of approving addresses or voting power, and the proposal with the highest count is executed. This system is used by protocols like Uniswap for temperature checks and by many DAO frameworks to gauge consensus without forcing a binary choice.
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