Voting for Super Representatives

TRON uses a Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus mechanism where token holders elect block producers through voting. Understanding how this governance model works and how to participate is essential for anyone staking TRX or engaging with the TRON ecosystem.

TRON's DPoS Governance Model

The TRON network is governed by Super Representatives (SRs), who produce blocks and validate transactions. The governance structure is tiered:

• Super Representatives (ranks 1–27): The 27 active block producers at any given time. These nodes run the network and earn block production rewards.

• Super Representative Partners (ranks 28–127): Accounts that have applied for the SR role and rank between 28 and 127. They do not produce blocks but still earn rewards and remain in the candidate pool.

• SR Candidates: All other accounts that have applied for the Super Representative role. They compete for votes to enter the top 127 and ultimately the top 27.

This structure ensures competition and allows the community to replace underperforming or unreliable block producers through voting.

Voting Mechanics

TRON Power and Vote Weight

Staking TRX grants TRON Power (TP), which determines voting power:

• 1 staked TRX = 1 TP = 1 vote

Users can distribute their votes across multiple SR candidates. For example, with 10,000 staked TRX, you could allocate 5,000 votes to one SR and 5,000 to another, or split them differently.

How Votes Are Cast

Votes are cast using the votewitnesscontract system contract. This contract is invoked when you vote through a wallet interface (such as TronLink) or programmatically via a smart contract call.

Election Rounds

Election rounds occur every 6 hours during the network's maintenance period. At each round:

1. Vote totals are tallied

2. SR candidates are ranked by total votes received

3. The top 27 become Super Representatives for the next round

4. Ranks 28–127 become Super Representative Partners

Votes persist across rounds until you change them or unstake your TRX. You do not need to vote again each round unless you want to adjust your allocation.

Why Voting Matters

Voting serves several critical functions:

1. Network security: Electing reliable block producers helps keep the network stable and secure. SRs with strong uptime and infrastructure contribute to consistent block production.

2. Reward participation: Voters earn rewards proportional to their vote share. SRs typically distribute a portion of their block rewards to voters. See Claiming Voting Rewards for how to claim these rewards.

3. Governance influence: SRs participate in network governance and parameter decisions. Your votes influence which SRs represent the community in these decisions.

How to Vote

Step 1: Stake TRX

You must stake TRX to obtain TRON Power before you can vote. For details on staking, see Staking TRX.

Step 2: Choose SR Candidates

Research SR candidates before voting. Consider:

• Reliability: Uptime, infrastructure quality, and track record

• Reward sharing: Percentage of block rewards shared with voters

• Community contributions: Development, documentation, and ecosystem support

Step 3: Cast Your Votes

Cast votes via:

• Wallet interfaces: TronLink and other TRON-compatible wallets provide voting interfaces

• Programmatic access: Call the votewitnesscontract system contract directly

Step 4: Effect of Votes

Votes take effect at the next maintenance period (every 6 hours). After that, your chosen SR candidates receive your vote weight for subsequent election rounds until you change or remove your votes.

Voting Cycle Overview

The following diagram illustrates the end-to-end voting and reward cycle:

The cycle repeats continuously: users stake, vote, and claim rewards while the network maintains consensus through elected Super Representatives.