Overview
GovTool is a free web app that lets ADA holders have a say in how their blockchain is run: they can hand their vote to a representative, vote on proposals themselves, or put forward a proposal of their own1. Anyone can browse what is up for a vote without connecting a wallet1. Its guide site walks through each of these tasks step by step1,2.
GovTool puts Cardano governance into practice. The rules come from CIP-1694, the proposal that gave ADA holders an on-chain vote on network changes and treasury spending3. Intersect, the member-based organization that coordinates Cardano governance work, first built GovTool and released its code for the community to run and improve1. In September 2026, Sireto, a blockchain software company led by one of GovTool's original builders, took over running and maintaining it1,4.
Key Features
- Pick someone to vote for you. The DRep Directory lists registered DReps (delegated representatives who vote on behalf of the holders who choose them), searchable by name or ID, and one wallet signature hands over your voting power5.
- Change your mind later. Delegators can switch to a different DRep later, or pick a built-in option instead of a person: Abstain, which takes no side on any vote, or No Confidence, which signals no confidence on every vote5,2.
- Vote directly without becoming a representative. Holders can register as a direct voter, which takes a refundable deposit, then answer Yes, No, or Abstain on each proposal with an optional written reason6,7.
- Run for DRep with a public profile. A sign-up form collects your name, objectives, and qualifications for the directory, and a Do Not List box keeps you off it if you prefer8.
- Test a proposal in public before it counts. Proposals start in a discussion area where others comment and refine them, and posting there only needs a free wallet signature, not a transaction9.
What to Expect
For everyday ADA holders, connecting a wallet opens GovTool's dashboard, with panels for delegating your vote, becoming a direct voter, or becoming a DRep5,6,8. Governance actions (the formal proposals that go to a vote) each get their own page7, and an Outcomes section shows what happened to an action after its voting window closed10. You need a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Brave on a computer, plus a wallet that supports CIP-95, the wallet-connection standard for governance2,11. The guides keep a list of wallets that work, from browser wallets such as Eternl and Lace to Ledger, Trezor, and Keystone hardware wallets11.
GovTool builds each transaction in your browser, and your own wallet signs and sends it12. If you want to practise first, a copy at preview.gov.tools runs on Cardano's test network with free test ADA from a faucet, a web service that hands it out2.
People preparing to become DReps get a guided sign-up. GovTool asks them to store their profile file somewhere public, such as GitHub or IPFS (a shared file-storage network), then checks the link matches before registration goes through8. Budget proposals from the 2025 Cardano budget process stay available as a read-only archive with their versions, DRep poll results, and comments13.
Developers can read and reuse GovTool's code, which is open-source under the Apache 2.0 license on GitHub14. Readers comparing representatives in more depth can also browse DRep explorers.
