PolkaGate is a Polkadot wallet developed and maintained by PolkaGate Foundation. It is an open-source browser extension available for Mozilla Firefox and Chromium-based browsers, funded by the Kusama Treasury. PolkaGate is compatible with many DApps and tools in the ecosystem.


PolkaGate enables you to engage with Polkadot OpenGov directly from the wallet itself using any of the accounts managed within it. You can review the details of each proposal, track its progress, and vote accordingly. Alternatively, if you prefer not to vote but still want to participate in Polkadot OpenGov, you can delegate your voting power from your PolkaGate account.


This article shows how to view ongoing and past proposals, vote, and delegate from the PolkaGate interface.


ℹ️ GOOD TO KNOW

If you have any questions about PolkaGate, or run into any issues and require further assistance, feel free to ask our AI chatbot or contact us.

Alternatively, you can contact the PolkaGate team directly and receive specialised assistance from the team that developed the wallet. You can contact PolkaGate support on Element or at [email protected]


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ℹ️ INFO

If you want to learn more about Polkadot OpenGov, do not hesitate to visit our article: Polkadot OpenGov: How does it work?



You can review any referenda and vote on the active ones through a common interface without connecting your wallet to any third-party app. This section guides you on how to review Polkadot OpenGov referenda.


1. Choose the account you want to use for reviewing the referenda. You can switch among the ones in your wallet later.



2. After selecting the account, click the "Governance" button at the bottom of the screen.



2. A new tab will open, displaying the following items:


     1) Referenda | Fellowship. Switch between general Polkadot OpenGov ("Referenda") or the one restricted to members of the Technical Fellowship ("Fellowship").


     2) Account selector. You can select the account you want to use to vote or delegate your voting power.


     3) Network selector. Despite its name, Polkadot OpenGov is also active in Kusama, so you can vote and check referenda in the canary network.


     4) Delegate Vote. You can delegate your voting power by clicking on this button. More in the section "How to delegate your voting power."


     5) Referenda and Treasury stats. This section provides information on the current ongoing referenda and the status of the Treasury of the selected network.


     6) Referenda search and filters. Apply terms and filters to the list of referenda below to find the ones you seek.


     7) List of referenda. This section displays all ongoing and past referenda, along with information about their current status. Click on the desired one to expand its content, including a summary, timeline, and voting details. Additionally, you can vote for the selected referendum from its information page (see the section below).


How to vote


After selecting any ongoing referendum, you'll be presented with a detailed description of the proposal (if the submitter attached one on Polkassembly), as well as the timeline of the proposal and its current status regarding approval and support.


In the top-right corner, you'll find a "Cast a Vote" button and your current vote, if you've already voted for the selected referendum. Clicking the button lets you vote for the first time on the selected referendum or modify your existing vote.



Follow the steps below to see how to vote from PolkaGate.


1. Click "Cast a Vote" in the top-right corner.


2. Read the popup summarizing the options and consequences of voting on your tokens carefully and click "Next."



3 (optional). If you have already voted for the selected referendum, you can "Remove" the vote or "Modify" it from the panel below.



4. To vote, start by selecting how you want to vote (Aye, Nay, or Abstain), the balance you wish to vote with, and the conviction multiplier to apply to this amount.


⛔ READ THIS FIRST!

Learn more about the ins and outs of voting and voluntary locking in Polkadot OpenGov from the articles below:

"Polkadot OpenGov: How to Vote"
"Voluntary Locking"



5. After setting up your vote or modifying an existing one, review it before confirming it. And that's it, you just voted in Polkadot OpenGov!


If you prefer to see the entire process in action, visit the video from PolkaGate YouTube official channel:



How to delegate your voting power


If you are interested in participating in the decisions taken on Polkadot OpenGov, but don't have the time or knowledge to do it, or even if you want to vote from your stash account but don't find it convenient and want to do it from your hot wallet, you can delegate your voting power from PolkaGate. Follow the steps below to learn how:


1. Choose the account you want to delegate from, although you can switch among the ones in PolkaGate later.



2. Click the "Governance" button at the bottom of the screen below.




3. Click the "Delegate Vote" on the top-right corner.



4. Review the popup outlining the options and consequences of delegating your tokens carefully, then click "Next."



5. The first step to delegate your votes is to decide the balance you'd like to delegate, the conviction multiplier applied to the previous amount, and the track(s) you'd like to delegate on under the "Advanced" options.


After reviewing your delegation configuration, click "Next".


⚠️ ATTENTION

If you delegate with any conviction voting, the unlocking period countdown starts from the moment you undelegate. It won't matter if the delegate account voted on any referenda or not.



ℹ️ INFO

Visit the articles below to learn more about delegations and tracks in Polkadot OpenGov:
"Polkadot OpenGov: How to Delegate your Voting Power"
"Origins and Tracks Info"


6. The following screen will allow you to enter the account to which you’ll be delegating your voting power. Alternatively, you can select one of the suggested accounts listed by PolkaGate. Click "Next" to continue.



7. Lastly, review the parameters of your delegation and click "Confirm." And that's it, your voting power has been delegated!