Polls
Status: Complete
Create polls to gather opinions from channel members. Polls support multiple options, multi-select voting, anonymous mode, and configurable expiry times.
Where Polls Appear
Polls are available in text channels within communities. They are not available in direct messages (DMs).
There are two ways to access polls:
- Polls panel -- Click the bar-chart icon in the channel header (visible on desktop). This opens a panel above the message area showing all polls for the current channel.
- Create poll button -- Click the bar-chart icon next to the message input area, or click New Poll inside the polls panel.
Creating a Poll
- Click the bar-chart icon next to the message input (or the New Poll button in the polls panel).
- A "Create Poll" modal appears with the following fields:
Question
- Required
- 1 to 500 characters
- This is the main question displayed at the top of the poll
Options
- Minimum 2 options, maximum 10 options
- Each option can be 1 to 200 characters
- Click Add option to add more choices (up to 10)
- Click the X button next to an option to remove it (minimum 2 must remain)
Settings
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Allow multiple votes | When enabled, voters can select more than one option | Off |
| Anonymous voting | When enabled, voter identities are hidden from other members | Off |
Expiry
Select how long the poll should remain open:
| Duration | Description |
|---|---|
| Never | Poll stays open until manually closed |
| 15 minutes | |
| 1 hour | |
| 6 hours | |
| 1 day | |
| 3 days | |
| 1 week | Maximum: 7 days (10,080 minutes) |
- Click Create Poll to publish it. The poll appears immediately in the channel's polls panel, and all channel members receive a real-time notification via WebSocket.
Voting
- Click any option to cast your vote. Your selection is highlighted with an accent color and a checkmark.
- Each option shows the vote count and percentage.
- A progress bar fills behind each option to visualize the vote distribution.
- The total vote count is shown at the bottom of the poll.
Single-select polls
In single-select mode (the default), voting for a new option automatically removes your previous vote.
Multi-select polls
When "Allow multiple votes" is enabled, you can select as many options as you want. Clicking a selected option again removes your vote for that option.
Anonymous polls
When "Anonymous voting" is enabled:
- Other members cannot see who voted for which option.
- Vote counts and percentages are still visible.
- The poll is tagged with an "Anonymous" badge.
Poll Status
Polls display badges to indicate their state:
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Multi-select | Voters can choose multiple options |
| Anonymous | Voter identities are hidden |
| Expired | The poll's expiry time has passed |
| Closed | The poll was manually closed |
Expired and closed polls still display results, but no new votes can be cast.
Closing a Poll
The following users can close a poll:
- The creator of the poll
- Channel admins and owners (users with role management permissions)
To close a poll, click the Close button in the top-right corner of the poll card.
Tip: Closing a poll is permanent. Once closed, it cannot be reopened.
Real-Time Updates
Poll events are broadcast in real time via WebSocket:
- Poll created -- The polls panel refreshes automatically when a new poll is created in the current channel.
- Vote cast -- Vote counts update instantly for all channel members viewing the polls panel.
- Poll closed -- The poll immediately shows the "Closed" badge and disables voting.
Who Can Create Polls
Any member of a text channel can create a poll. There are no special role or permission requirements for poll creation.