Governance Participation Guide

1. Before You Vote

Governance participation starts before you connect your wallet. Confirm you hold voting weight in the correct governance account, that your wallet is self-custodied, and that you understand the vote deadline in your local timezone.

Bookmark the official Realms governance account URL from the DAO's verified channels. During active vote periods, avoid clicking governance links from unsolicited direct messages.

2. Proposal Reading Checklist

Use this checklist for each binding proposal. Print or copy it for your records.

• Verified Realms URL matches official DAO announcement
• Vote open and close times recorded in calendar
• Description read for context (not treated as binding text)
• Each instruction identified by program and purpose
• Treasury source, destination, and amounts confirmed
• Quorum threshold compared to current participation
• Related or companion proposals searched in account history
• Open questions posted in forum or resolved via briefing
• Decision documented: approve, reject, abstain, or delegate

For detailed walkthrough of each item, see our library article on reading SPL governance proposals.

3. Forum Participation

Community forums surface concerns that proposal descriptions omit. Contribute by asking specific questions about instruction accounts, timelock duration, and rollback options if execution fails.

Avoid posting wallet addresses publicly unless the DAO explicitly requests them for verification. Share transaction signatures only through official channels when proving vote participation for audits or grants.

4. Delegation Decisions

Delegate when you trust a representative and the vote stakes are routine. Vote directly when treasury, authority, or structural changes are on the table. Revoke delegation before vote close if you disagree with your delegate's choice on an active proposal.

Review delegate voting history monthly. Delegation is revocable but not retroactive on votes already cast.

5. Vote Day Procedure

1. Re-read the proposal summary for last-minute amendments
2. Confirm wallet connects to Realms without errors
3. Verify vote weight matches your expectation
4. Cast vote at least several hours before deadline
5. Save transaction signature for your records

Network congestion near vote close can delay transaction confirmation. Early voting reduces deadline risk.

6. After Execution

Monitor the governance account for execution status after vote close. Timelocked proposals may not execute immediately. If instructions fail, check forum announcements for remediation proposals.

Update your personal notes with outcomes — what passed, what failed, and whether results matched your expectations. These notes inform future votes and help newcomers in your community.