Subsquare: Propose, Discuss & Vote on Polkadot OpenGov
This expert guide explains how to use Subsquare to participate in Polkadot OpenGov—from finding the right track and reading context, to voting, delegating, and clearing expired locks. It also covers what’s new in 2025 (e.g., OpenGov track adjustments and DV dashboards), plus step-by-step workflows, pitfalls, and an at-a-glance comparison versus Polkassembly, Polkadot-JS, and Nova Wallet.
Why Subsquare matters
OpenGov is where DOT holders steer protocol direction, treasury spending, and parameters. Subsquare is one of the two primary, user-friendly front-ends (alongside Polkassembly) that monitors on-chain events and gives you clean interfaces to vote, delegate, discuss, and review track stats across Polkadot and Kusama.
ELI5: OpenGov + Subsquare
- OpenGov = on-chain democracy. You vote on referenda in different tracks (e.g., small/medium/big spender, treasurer, wish-for-change).
- Subsquare = the dashboard for that democracy. It displays active & historical referenda, comments, tallies, and lets you vote or delegate from your wallet with a few clicks.
How OpenGov works (quick refresher)
- Tracks & queues. Proposals go to specific tracks (each with rules for deposit, consideration time, etc.). In 2025, Polkadot approved an adjustment to reduce the max number of “deciding” items across several tracks, creating healthier queues and less fatigue. Expect more proposals to wait in queue until they have enough support to enter voting.
- Conviction voting. Lock DOT longer to multiply your vote weight (up to 6×). Locks unlock automatically after the conviction period or can be cleared when expired.
- Direct vote or delegation. You can vote directly or delegate to trusted community members. The Decentralized Voices (DV) program channels voting power toward public delegates and DAOs to broaden participation.
What Subsquare does (2025 view)
- A governance platform for Substrate chains that scans & normalizes on-chain governance data, covering Polkadot, Kusama, and many parachains.
- Dedicated OpenGov home for Polkadot/Kusama: active & historical referenda, tracks, stats, whale views, and DV dashboards (e.g., cohort summaries, delegates, guardians).
- Wallet-based actions—vote, delegate, and clear expired votes—with guidance aligned to Polkadot’s support docs.
- Ongoing enhancements from the Subsquare team: profile redesigns, identity tools, Asset Hub support, proxy support, Coretime UI, better search, bounties UX.
Key features in Subsquare
- Tracks, Stats & Whales: Explore all tracks; see statistics and whale voters to understand participation and influence.
- DV dashboard: View Decentralized Voices cohorts, delegates/DAOs/guardians, voting patterns and track coverage.
- Subscribe to on-chain events: Stay updated as referenda move across Preparing → Deciding → Confirming.
- Vote & delegate from your wallet: Connect SubWallet, Talisman, Polkadot.js, Nova, etc., to cast votes, delegate, undelegate, and clear expired votes.
- Cross-ecosystem coverage: Polkadot, Kusama, and numerous parachains (e.g., Acala, Centrifuge, HydraDX, Interlay, Phala).
- Roadmap (2025): Identity & proxies, improved Coretime views, Asset Hub support, and search improvements.
Subsquare vs other governance tools
| Tool | Vote | Delegate | Comment/Discuss | Track & Whale Stats | DV Views | Clear Expired Votes | Mobile-friendly | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subsquare | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Good (browser/mobile) | Power users who want stats + DV + actions in one place |
| Polkassembly | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ (rich threads) | Partial (analytics improving) | Partial (community posts) | ✅ | Good | Discussion-heavy workflows with identity/profiles |
| Polkadot-JS UI | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Manual | Desktop-first | Advanced/power tasks & low-level extrinsics |
| Nova Wallet | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Excellent (mobile app) | On-the-go voting/delegating |
Notes: Polkadot support docs present Subsquare and Polkassembly as primary governance portals; Polkadot-JS remains a power-user option; Nova focuses on mobile governance.
Mini-guide: Propose → Discuss → Vote in Subsquare
Goal: Safely navigate a full OpenGov cycle using Subsquare and adjacent tools.
1) Discover the right place to act
- Open Subsquare → Referenda. Filter by Track (e.g., Small/Medium/Big Spender, Treasurer, Wish-for-Change) and status (Preparing, Deciding, Confirming). Use Tracks → Statistics for context.
- If you’re new to a topic, scan comments and any linked forum discussions for background.
2) Connect wallet
- Click Connect and choose SubWallet, Talisman, Polkadot.js, Nova (etc.).
- Ensure the account has enough DOT to cover deposits (when proposing) and a small fee for transactions.
3) Discuss (off-chain) before proposing
- Post or join a discussion to gather feedback and surface risks/alternatives. This improves pass rates and reduces churn.
4) Propose (on-chain)
- On Polkadot, many proposers still prepare preimages and submit proposals via Polkadot-JS (power-user UI). Some parachains expose “New Proposal / New Preimage” flows directly in Subsquare; check your chain’s docs.
- After submission, your item will appear in the chosen track and follow that track’s timetable and thresholds.
5) Vote (or delegate) in Subsquare
- Open the referendum page → Vote.
- Choose Aye / Nay / Abstain, set balance, and pick conviction (0.1× to 6× weight with longer locks). Sign the transaction.
- Prefer not to micromanage? Use Delegate per-track to trusted accounts/DAOs (you can later undelegate).
6) Track outcomes, clear expired votes
- Watch the tally and timeline; when locks expire, use Account → Clear expired votes to remove locks in one batch.
Practical checklist
- Read track rules and expected timelines.
- Check queue pressure (fewer “deciding” slots since 2025).
- Confirm deposit & preimage steps (Polkadot-JS if needed).
- Share a clear problem statement and KPIs in your discussion post.
- Before voting, scan DV & Whales views for extra context.
- After referenda finalize, clear expired votes to unlock DOT.
Common pitfalls & tips
- Mistaking tracks: A small Treasury ask on the wrong track can stall in queue. Double-check track fit before submitting.
- Ignoring queues: With fewer “deciding” slots, under-supported items may stay queued. Warm up support before submission.
- Forgetting conviction math: A 6× conviction vote locks longer—great for weight, bad for liquidity planning. Know your lock horizon.
- Not clearing expired votes: Locks won’t disappear until you clear them; batch this from Subsquare’s Account tab.
- One-track delegation confusion: You can’t delegate a track where you hold non-expired votes. Clear those first, then delegate.
FAQs
1) Is Subsquare an official Polkadot product? No—Subsquare is a widely used ecosystem governance platform maintained by an independent team; it supports Polkadot, Kusama, and many parachains.
2) Can I both vote and delegate? Yes, but not simultaneously on the same track with non-expired votes. Clear expired votes first, then delegate (or vice-versa).
3) Where do I submit new proposals—Subsquare or Polkadot-JS? Voting/delegation work great in Subsquare. For submitting on Polkadot, most proposers still use Polkadot-JS (preimage + submit). Some parachains offer “New Proposal” directly inside Subsquare—check your chain docs.
4) What are “DV” and “Whales” tabs? DV = Decentralized Voices dashboards (cohorts, delegates, guardians). “Whales” surfaces large voters to understand influence patterns.
5) Why is my proposal queued for long? Polkadot reduced “max deciding” slots in several tracks in 2025—expect more queuing and prioritize pre-discussion & endorsements.
6) Does Subsquare cover Asset Hub / Coretime? The 2025 roadmap includes Asset Hub support and Coretime UI improvements in Subsquare.
7) Is there investment or financial risk in voting? Voting uses locks; with conviction, DOT is locked longer. There’s no yield implied—this is governance, not an investment product.
Conclusion
Subsquare is a fast, analytics-forward path to act in OpenGov: filter by track, assess DV & whale context, vote or delegate, and clean up locks post-vote. If you’re proposing work, use Subsquare for visibility and discussion, and Polkadot-JS for low-level submissions when needed.