DRep Voting Guide: 2025 CC Snap Election

Platform: Ekklesia | Voting Window: Nov 26 – Dec 5, 2025, 12:00 Noon, UTC

1. Election Context & Importance

Following the retirement of a Constitutional Committee member, the committee has fallen below the required minimum size of 7. To maintain constitutional continuity and ensure the governance system remains functional, a Snap Election is being held to fill this single vacancy.

• Goal: Elect 1 member to complete the term of the retired member (ending Sept 6. 2026, Epoch 653).

• Why Vote? Your participation upholds the legitimacy and resilience of Cardano’s governance model.

2. Key Dates (Mark Your Calendar)

All times are 12:00 UTC

• 📅 Nov 26 (Wednesday): Voting Opens on Ekklesia.

• 📅 Dec 5 (Friday): Voting Closes.

• 📅 Dec 8 (Monday): Governance Action submitted on-chain based on these results.

3. Prerequisites

To participate, you must have:

1. DRep Registration: You must be a registered DRep included in the snapshot taken at the end of Epoch 597.

2. A Signing Tool: You need one of the following:

3. A CIP-95 compatible browser wallet (e.g., Eternl, Yoroi, Lace).

4. OR The Cardano Signer tool for those preferring a non-browser extension method: https://github.com/gitmachtl/cardano-signer

4. Step-by-Step Voting Instructions

Step 1: Connect Your Wallet or Signer

1. Click the "Connect Wallet" button at the top of the page.

2. A login screen will appear offering two options:

3. Option A (Browser Wallet): Select "Connect Wallet," then choose your provider (e.g., Eternl, Lace).

4. Option B (Cardano Signer): Select "Use Cardano Signer" if you are using the CLI/standalone tool.

5. Authorize: Follow the prompts to sign.

6. Browser Wallet: A popup will ask for a signature.

7. Cardano Signer: Follow the on-screen instructions to sign the required data payload.

8. Confirm: This step validates your DRep ID. Note: This does not create a transaction; it only proves ownership.

Step 2: Locate the Election Ballot

1. Once connected, go to the Dashboard or Home tab.

2. Look for the section labeled "Live".

3. Find the ballot titled "CC Snap Election" and click to open it.

Step 3: Review Candidates & Vote

Inside the ballot, you will see the candidates (Individuals, Consortia, or Companies) vying for the vacant seat.

1. Explore: Click "View Candidate" on candidate cards to read their details and alignment.

2. Select ONE Candidate: As there is only one seat available, you must select only one candidate to support.

3. Vote Selection: Click the vote option associated with your chosen candidate.

4. Selection is NOT Submission: Selecting a candidate simply "saves" your choice locally. You must perform the next step to make it official.

Step 4: Official Submission (Crucial Step)

Your vote is not counted until you submit it to the chain/database.

1. Look for the Notification Bell Icon 🔔 "Unsubmitted Votes!" near the top of the screen.

2. Click the bell and follow the prompts to Submit Votes.

3. Final Signature: Your wallet or Cardano Signer will prompt you one last time. Sign the request to officially cast your ballot.

5. Important Notes: Voting Power & Rules

• Only DReps are eligible to vote.

• Stake-Based Voting: This is not one-person-one-vote. Your vote is weighted based on the amount of Ada delegated to your DRep ID.

• Their voting power equals their delegation at the snapshot.

• Delegation Snapshot: The final voting power applied to your vote is determined by the delegation your DRep ID holds at the time of the snapshot (December 5th, end of Epoch 597).

• The winner is the candidate with the highest amount of Ada voted for them.

• No Transaction Fees: You are signing data, not sending Ada.

Editing Votes: You can change your vote as often as you like while the ballot is open (November 26th - December 5th) by repeating the steps above.