# Private Voting on Referenda

**URL:** <https://forum.polkadot.network/t/private-voting-on-referenda/3001>\
**Category:** Governance\
**Created:** [May 31, 2023, 8:42am UTC](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/private-voting-on-referenda/3001 "2023-05-31T08:42:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 16

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**Author:** ![brenzi](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forum.polkadot.network/brenzi/32/1199_2.png) [@brenzi](https://forum.polkadot.network/u/brenzi)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2023, 11:30am UTC](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/private-voting-on-referenda/3001/16 "2023-06-02T11:30:32Z")

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> [@burdges](#):
>
> We’re primarily concerned about the security loss from TEEs, so it’s not whether it delivers enough features, but whether we’d ever sacrifice the security.

Agreed. And I see there’s a big difference between a private-tx sidechain which only causes risk for those who opt-in to use it - and private voting for L1 governance, where the risk is taken by the entire network.

> [@tom.stakeplus](#):
>
> If we do ultimately proceed down an anonymous route, can we at least limit the conviction to \<= 1x ?

I see your concern about accountability of heavyweights. But I think I have a better idea, and it won’t come as a surprise: What if we bound the voting power of individual entities and people by making private-voting sybil-resilient? At least to a bounded extent? This could even be the basis for quadratic voting which cannot work without sybil-resilience.

Imagine you could only vote (privately) if you provide proof-of-personhood (i.e. decentralized from Encointer, or through centralized/federated KYC registered on KILT?). This is not fantasy: We could basically combine [this](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/a-privacy-preserving-proof-of-personhood-certificate/2756), [this](https://kusama.polkassembly.io/referenda/204), and [this](https://www2.deloitte.com/ch/en/pages/press-releases/articles/deloitte-integrates-kilt-identity-blockchain-creating-new-markets-with-reusable-digital-credentials.html), all rather low hanging fruits by now

This way, we would protect privacy of individuals and address my concerns in the OP, while conserving pseudonymous accountability for institutions

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