Mindmap

mindmap
    root((Coin Voting))
        Election Authority
            Public Parameters
                Question
                Choices
            Technical Parameters
                Election ID
                Window Start
                Snapshot Height
                Note Filter
        Election Node
            Reference Data
                Note Commitment Tree
                Nullifier Exclusion Tree
            Updates
        Voters
            Grantees
            Zcash Holdings
        Blockchain
            Pre-Snapshot
            Fork
                Ballots
                Grants
                Delegations
            Termination
                Tally
                Proof

Here's a short description on the role of each major component.

Election Authority

The Election Authority is the governing body responsible for overseeing the administration of the elections. Normally, its main duties include:

• Managing Voter Registration: Ensuring that only eligible ZEC holders can participate. This is done through cryptography instead.
• Administering Elections: Organizing and managing the logistics of the process. Running the Election Nodes and the information website if any.
• Counting Votes: Using the software and publishing the results
• Certifying Election Results: Providing the cryptographic proofs and the means to verify them

Voters/Electors

• Any Zcash holder can vote with a voting power equal to their holdings.
• Only coins in the Orchard pool at the time of the snapshot are usable.
• Voters cast their votes using an app or their wallet (if it integrates the voting library)
• Individuals may receive additional voting power from the Election Authority.
• Voting Power can be delegated, i.e. sent to another user.

::: info Voting Power has no monetary value and can be only used in a particular election :::

::: warning At this time, there is no mechanism to restrict voting to a particular group of users. It may be considered if there is an interest for a model of indirect elections with super representatives. :::

Blockchain

Most of the data comes from the blockchain. Conceptually, the coin voting considers transaction outputs from Orchard as source of voting power (VP), transaction inputs as a destruction of voting power.

Then at the snapshot height, the blockchain forks and a different "timeline" forms. On this branch, participants trade VP (delegations) and eventually spend it on proposals.

The fork is managed by the Election Authority via the Vote Server.

Vote Server

The Vote Server implements the Voting Protocol. It has similar responsibilities to the Zcash full node but without mining, p2p and block schedule.

Via the Vote Server,

• Voters receive delegated VP
• Voters submit their ballots