Method comparison

Quadratic voting vs approval voting

Approval voting asks which options are acceptable, while quadratic voting asks how much participants care about each option. Both can be useful, but they reveal different decision signals.

Start a decisionSee the mechanism

Nicolas mechanism signals

These concepts follow the mathematical contract used by the app.

Convex cost

cost = c * sum a_ij^2

Voice budget

sum a_ij^2 <= B

Outcome rule

shifted softmax over support

What approval voting reveals

Approval voting lets participants mark every option they find acceptable, which makes it simple, fast, and useful when the group wants a broad acceptability signal.

Its simplicity is also its limit. Approving two options does not show whether one is a mild fallback and the other is a deeply preferred choice.

What quadratic voting adds

Quadratic voting lets participants allocate different intensities across alternatives. Stronger support or opposition costs more, so preference strength becomes visible and accountable.

Nicolas adds liquid delegation and cost accounting, which lets groups inspect the result and the mechanism that produced it.

How to choose

Use approval voting when the group needs a low-friction acceptability check and does not need to distinguish intensity.

Use Nicolas when options create unequal stakes and the group needs to understand how strongly participants support or oppose each alternative.

Use cases

Where this decision model helps

Approval voting fit

Fast acceptability checks where every approved option can be treated similarly.

Quadratic voting fit

Decisions where strong preference must count differently from mild acceptance.

Nicolas fit

Structured group decisions that need delegation, costs, and outcome probabilities.

FAQ

Is approval voting simpler than quadratic voting?

Yes. Approval voting is usually simpler. Nicolas is appropriate when the extra structure is justified by the need to measure preference intensity.

Can Nicolas show broad support?

Yes. Nicolas shows aggregate support, but it also shows intensity, quadratic costs, and probabilistic outcomes.

Where is approval voting enough?

Approval voting can be enough when the group only needs to know which options are acceptable and does not need intensity-aware accounting.

Keep reading

Continue with adjacent concepts and practical Nicolas workflows.

Collective decision-making softwareSee how Nicolas structures group decisions beyond broad approval.Participatory governanceExplore governance workflows where intensity matters.