Published May 12, 2025
Combining elements of direct and representative voting, liquid democracy allows individuals to either vote directly or delegate their vote to someone they trust. Real-world applications in blockchain governance, shareholder decision-making, and AI oversight reveal both structural challenges — low participation, vote concentration, and weak civic incentives — and signs of institutional promise. As digital platforms reshape how decisions are made, liquid democracy invites a broader reconsideration of how democratic systems might function in a more networked, decentralized society.
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The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.
© 2025 by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.
Andrew B. Hall
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