Blind voting and anonymous polls
A blind vote hides the running results so people respond before seeing what others think. Loomio also supports anonymous ballots when voter identities need to stay private.
What is blind voting?
Blind voting means participants cannot see the running results before they vote. You can reveal the results after each person casts their vote, or keep them hidden until the poll closes.
This prevents bandwagon effects, where people follow the majority rather than thinking independently. It also reduces social pressure, especially in groups where power dynamics or seniority might influence how people vote.
Anonymous voting is different: it removes the connection between a voter and their vote. Combine anonymous voting with hidden results when you need a secret ballot as well as independent input.
When to use blind voting
Board elections
Elect board members, officers, or representatives without the influence of seeing who's ahead. Loomio supports STV (single transferable vote) elections with anonymous ballots.
Sensitive decisions
Budget priorities, personnel matters, or contentious proposals — when the topic is sensitive, anonymous voting lets people express their real position without fear of judgement.
Honest feedback
Get genuine opinions on proposals, strategies, or performance reviews. When votes are anonymous, people are more likely to raise concerns early rather than going along with the group.
Reducing power dynamics
In groups with senior and junior members, blind voting ensures that a manager's early vote doesn't anchor everyone else's response.
Prioritization
Use blind dot voting or score polls to surface the group's real priorities. Without seeing others' allocations, each person distributes their points based on genuine preference.
Compliance and governance
Some constitutions or bylaws require secret ballots for certain decisions. Loomio can keep voter identities separate from their votes and export the poll results for your records.
How blind voting works in Loomio
Loomio gives you two independent settings that you can combine for the level of anonymity your decision requires:
Anonymous votes
Voter identities are not associated with their votes. Because a written vote reason might identify its author, you can disable vote reasons when the ballot must remain secret.
Hidden results
Choose whether results stay hidden until each person votes or until the poll closes. This prevents people seeing the running tally before forming their own view.
Use these advanced settings with Loomio proposals and polls, including:
- Simple polls (single or multiple choice)
- Score polls
- Dot voting
- Ranked choice
- Proposals (consent and consensus)
- STV elections
Questions about blind and anonymous voting
Is a blind vote automatically anonymous?
No. Hiding results controls what participants can see while voting. Anonymous voting separately controls whether voter identities are associated with their votes. Turn on both settings for an anonymous ballot with hidden results.
When can participants see the result?
You choose: results can be visible throughout, revealed to a participant after they vote, or hidden from everyone until the poll closes.
Can an anonymous poll be reopened?
No. Loomio discards voter identity information for an anonymous poll, so an anonymous poll cannot be reopened after it closes.
How do I protect a secret ballot?
Enable anonymous voting before the poll starts, hide results until closing, and consider disabling vote reasons so a participant does not identify themselves in their written comment.
Blind voting vs open voting
Neither approach is always better — the right choice depends on the decision. Loomio supports both, so your group can choose the right mode for each situation.
Use blind voting when:
- Power dynamics could influence votes
- The topic is sensitive or contentious
- You need to comply with secret ballot requirements
- You want honest prioritization
Use open voting when:
- Accountability matters — you want to know who stands where
- The group is building shared understanding through dialogue
- You want to follow up with individuals about their reasoning
- Trust is high and social pressure isn't a concern
Try blind voting with your group
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