Quadratic Voting (QV) is celebrated for its ability to capture the intensity of voter preferences, transcending traditional binary choices. Yet, practical implementations often fall short of its theoretical promise. In this talk, we begin by exploring the fundamentals of QV as described in academic literature and evaluating its usefulness against conventional token-weighted voting practices. We then highlight how existing implementations diverge from these theoretical fundamentals.
Despite its promise, real-world deployments of QV face significant challenges, particularly in mitigating Sybil attacks, where adversaries manipulate identities to skew results. We propose integrating Proof of Personhood (PoP) protocols as a robust solution, ensuring Sybil resistance while maintaining accessibility and fairness. Additionally, we explore wealth redistribution within the QV framework, a critical feature that aligns economic incentives to boost voter participation and equity.
To bridge theory and practice, we present the architecture and a live demonstration of an on-chain QV implementation tailored for a token-based community. Deployed on the Ethereum testnet, our tool incorporates PoP protocols, token locking, and redistribution mechanisms, offering a comprehensive framework for decentralized and fair decision-making. The demo showcases how communities can create proposals, enable QV-based voting, and execute decisions transparently on-chain.
Our project invites collaboration from researchers, developers, and community managers to refine and scale this solution for DAO governance, public goods funding, and beyond. Join us as we explore how QV, combined with PoP and Ethereum’s decentralized infrastructure, can redefine democratic participation and drive the next generation of blockchain governance.