Common questions about participating in Moonwell governance.
Who can participate in governance?
Anyone with delegated WELL or MFAM tokens can vote on proposals. Token holders must delegate their voting power first.
All community members can also share ideas on the Moonwell Governance Forum, even without voting power.
What does it mean to delegate?
Delegating activates your tokens' voting power. Without delegation, your tokens can't vote.
You can delegate to yourself (self-delegation) or to another address. Either way, you keep full ownership and control of your tokens.
Why would I delegate to someone else instead of myself?
If you don't have time to follow proposals and vote regularly, you can delegate to a trusted community member. That person will vote using your tokens' voting power on your behalf, and you can change your delegate at any time.
Do I keep my tokens after delegating?
Yes. Delegation only assigns voting power to an address. Your tokens remain yours and you keep full control of them.
Can I change my delegate?
Yes, as many times as you want. Go to the Governance page, select Voting Power, click Change Delegate, and select a new address.
Do my new tokens need to be delegated again?
No. Once you delegate your voting power, any new tokens you receive automatically inherit the same delegation.
Do staked tokens count toward voting power?
Yes. Tokens staked in the Safety Module (stkWELL) automatically delegate to yourself and count toward your voting power right away.
Where can I share my governance ideas?
In the Moonwell Governance Forum, post your ideas!
What kinds of changes can be proposed?
Onchain governance covers:
Protocol parameter changes
Risk settings for markets
Smart contract code changes and upgrades
Snapshot voting covers broader ideas such as:
Strategic direction for the protocol
Community initiatives
Non-code governance changes
Other proposals that don't directly change protocol code
What does it take for a proposal to pass?
A proposal passes when it:
Gets more "For" votes than "Against" votes (majority).
Reaches the quorum requirement (minimum participation).
If a proposal meets both conditions, it passes. If it fails either one, it does not.
How do I know which way to vote?
Read the full proposal and all discussion about it before voting. Ask questions in the forum if you're unsure. Vote based on what you believe is best for the protocol, not just what others are voting.
What happens after a proposal passes?
If an onchain MIP passes:
There's a timelock period.
Once the timelock ends, the proposal is executed.
The code changes are applied to the protocol.
If a Snapshot proposal passes:
The result is a community signal.
The team or other community members can use this signal to guide next steps.
Snapshot results typically lead to onchain MIPs if needed.
Can I vote without holding tokens?
No. You must have delegated WELL tokens to vote. However, you can join governance discussions on the forum without tokens.
Is voting private?
No. All votes on onchain MIPs are recorded onchain and are publicly visible. Snapshot votes are also public.