Governance & Decision-Making
How Cardano governance works in the Voltaire era, covering on-chain voting and the CIP/CPS process.
Voltaire Era
Cardano's Voltaire era introduces full on-chain governance. Community members can propose, vote on, and ratify changes to the protocol through a decentralized governance framework. The Chang hard fork activated key governance features.
Key Points
- On-chain governance actions (treasury withdrawals, parameter changes, hard forks)
- Decentralized decision-making in plutocratic weight
- Constitutional framework defining governance rules
Delegated Representatives (DReps)
DReps are elected representatives who vote on governance actions on behalf of ADA holders. Any ADA holder can become a DRep or delegate their voting power to one.
Key Points
- Anyone can register as a DRep
- ADA holders delegate voting power (similar to stake delegation)
- DReps vote on governance actions proportional to delegated stake
- Predefined DRep options: Abstain and No Confidence
Constitutional Committee (CC)
The Constitutional Committee ensures governance actions comply with the Cardano Constitution. They provide a constitutionality check before actions can be ratified.
Key Points
- Elected committee members with term limits
- Must approve governance actions as constitutional
- Can be replaced via no-confidence vote
- Acts as a safeguard, not a ruling body
CIP/CPS Process
Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs) and Cardano Problem Statements (CPSs) are the formal mechanism for suggesting technical changes and documenting ecosystem problems.
Key Points
- CIP-1 defines the proposal process and lifecycle
- CPSs document problems without prescribing solutions
- CIPs propose specific technical solutions
- Managed through the cardano-foundation/CIPs GitHub repository
- CIP Editors review for completeness, not technical merit
Stake Pool Operators (SPOs)
SPOs run the nodes that validate transactions and produce blocks. They also play a governance role by voting on certain protocol changes.
Key Points
- Run infrastructure that secures the network
- Vote on hard fork initiation governance actions
- Elected through stake delegation from ADA holders
- Incentivized through block rewards and pool fees
Next: Governance Measurement Framework
Learn how Beyond MVG measures governance health across all actor groups using on-chain metrics and community insights.
Explore the Framework