Polkawallet allows you to participate in Polkadot OpenGov by using your tokens to vote on active referenda. If you are interested in learning about how Polkadot OpenGov works, you can check this article.


ℹ️ GOOD TO KNOW

If you have any questions about participating in Polkadot OpenGov with Polkawallet or run into any issues and require further assistance, feel free to ask our AI chatbot or contact us.

Alternatively, you can also search Polkawallet's documentation or contact their team directly through email, and receive specialized assistance from the team that developed the wallet.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

How to vote on referenda

To vote on active referenda, you can follow these steps:


1. First, select the account you want to vote with. In this example, we'll be voting on Kusama OpenGov, but the process is exactly the same for Polkadot.


2. Tap on the "Metahub" button



3. On the screen that opens up, scroll the bar on top to the right and select "Governance". Then tap "Enter".



4. You will be presented with a list of ongoing referenda grouped by track.



For each referendum, you can see the following information:

a. The index of the referendum

b. The period it's currently in (usually preparing, deciding, or confirming)

c. The number of votes in each direction.



If you tap on a referendum, you'll expand its card, and you can also see:

d. How much time remains in this period

e. Links to Polkassembly and Subsquare, where you can read contextual information about the referendum, as well as read and participate in the discussion with the community.



5. After you've read the proposal and discussions on one of these governance platforms, you can vote on the referendum by tapping the "Vote" button.



6. On the screen that opens up: 


a. First, select the direction of your vote (Aye, Nay, Split, Abstain)

b. Then choose the amount you want to vote with

c. Finally, choose the optional conviction lock period your tokens will be locked for. By locking your tokens, you can increase your voting power.

d. Once you've made these selections, tap "Submit"



7. In the next screen, review the details of the transaction and tap "Submit" again. 


That's it! You've voted to shape the direction of the network! You will be returned to the Referenda page, where you can see your vote at the top.


If you have voted on multiple referenda, you can view each one by swiping the "My Votes" frame right or left. The little "dots" at the top right indicate how many votes you have cast. 


‼️ IMPORTANT

If you vote again for a referendum that you have already voted for, your new vote will replace the previous vote.

How to cancel a vote

While a referendum is ongoing, you can remove (cancel) your vote. In that case, the lock is immediately removed, but your vote isn't counted for the referendum.


To cancel a vote, follow these steps:


1. First, select the account you had voted with. In this example, we voted on Kusama OpenGov, but the process is exactly the same for Polkadot.


2. Tap on the "Metahub" button



3. On the screen that opens up, scroll the bar on top to the right and select "Governance". Then tap "Enter".



4. The referenda you have voted for will show up at the top. Swipe right or left until you find the one you want to remove the vote for, and tap on the small "i" icon. 


5. A modal will open up, and you should tap on "Cancel Vote".


ℹ️ GOOD TO KNOW

At the top of this modal you can also see the details of your current vote.



6. In the next screen, review the details of the transaction and tap "Submit".

How to clear an expired lock

Once a referendum has ended, if you didn't vote with conviction or if you voted with the losing side, you can immediately unlock your tokens. If you voted with conviction and with the winning side, you need to wait until the lock period expires before you can clear the lock.


You can see the remaining time of the lock in the referendum's card:


If you have voted in several referenda, their locks overlap. This means that you can vote with the same locked amount in many referenda. But it also means that even if one lock has expired, if another lock exists for the same amount, then your tokens cannot become transferable. 


Polkawallet works on the premise of "redeemable" amounts, meaning it shows you what number of tokens you can make transferable. For this reason, if you have voted in several referenda with the same amount, it will show your tokens as redeemable only when all locks have expired. 


For example, in the following example, we have voted on referendum 364 without conviction, and because the referendum has ended, the lock has expired. However, Polkawallet doesn't show a redeemable amount, because we have voted with the same amount in other referenda as well that still have active locks.


On the other hand, if you had voted on several referenda but with different amounts, when the lock of the higher amount expires, you will be able to redeem (make transferable) the difference from the lower amounts. 


In the following example, we have voted with no conviction in two Polkadot referenda. In 592, we voted with 2 DOT, and in 587, with 5 DOT. 587 has "Ended," while 592 is still "Deciding".  As you can see, on both cards, a redeemable amount of 3 DOT is shown.



How to redeem your unlocked tokens

To redeem (make transferable) any tokens that are redeemable, follow these steps:


1. First, select the account you had voted with. In this example, we voted on Kusama OpenGov, but the process is exactly the same for Polkadot.


2. Tap on the "Metahub" button



3. On the screen that opens up, scroll the bar on top to the right and select "Governance". Then tap "Enter".



4. The referenda you have voted for will show up at the top. Swipe left or right to browse through your votes.



If any of the locks have expired and there is a redeemable amount, you will see that redeemable amount and a "Clear" button in each one. 


Tap on "Clear" on any one of them, and this will clear any locks that can be removed and redeem the tokens that can be unlocked. 


5. In the next screen, review the transaction details and tap "Submit.