# Proposals & Voting

Likwid supports multiple voting methods to match different decision-making needs.

## Proposal Lifecycle

### 1. Draft
The author creates a proposal with:
- Title and description
- Voting options
- Selected voting method

### 2. Discussion Phase
- Members read and discuss the proposal
- Comments are organized for constructive deliberation
- The author may refine the proposal based on feedback

### 3. Voting Phase
- Voting opens for a defined period
- Members cast votes using the specified method
- Delegated votes are resolved

### 4. Closed
- Results are calculated and displayed
- The decision is recorded permanently

## Voting Methods

### Approval Voting
**Best for:** Simple yes/no decisions or selecting multiple options

- Select all options you approve of
- Options are ranked by total approvals
- Simple and intuitive

### Ranked Choice (Instant Runoff)
**Best for:** Electing a single winner from many candidates

- Rank options from most to least preferred
- Lowest-ranked options are eliminated in rounds
- Votes transfer to next preference

### Schulze Method
**Best for:** Complex decisions requiring nuanced preferences

- Rank all options
- Uses pairwise comparisons
- Condorcet-consistent (beats all others head-to-head)

### STAR Voting (Score Then Automatic Runoff)
**Best for:** Balancing expressiveness with simplicity

- Rate each option 0-5 stars
- Top two scorers enter automatic runoff
- Prevents strategic voting

### Quadratic Voting
**Best for:** Expressing intensity of preference

- Allocate voice credits across options
- Cost increases quadratically (1 vote = 1 credit, 2 votes = 4 credits)
- Prevents tyranny of the majority

## Casting Your Vote

1. Open the proposal during the voting phase
2. Follow the voting method instructions
3. Submit your vote
4. You can change your vote until voting closes

## Delegation and Voting

If you've delegated your vote (globally or within a community):
- Your delegate votes on your behalf
- You can override by voting directly
- Delegations are transparent

## Viewing Results

After voting closes:
- See total vote counts
- View method-specific details (rounds, pairwise matrices)
- Results are permanent and auditable