--- title: "Multi-Voting" description: "Participants review a numbered list of options, receive a fixed allocation of votes calculated as N divided by 3, and vote simultaneously. The facilitator tallies the marks to display a ranked shortlist of top priorities." last_updated: "2026-09-07" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/multi-voting-workshopbank/" --- # Multi-Voting Participants review a numbered list of options, receive a fixed allocation of votes calculated as N divided by 3, and vote simultaneously. The facilitator tallies the marks to display a ranked shortlist of top priorities. **Time:** 20 minutes. Single-round version based on the 15 to 20 minute single-round timing in the WorkshopBank record. **People:** 4 to 24. Whole group working in parallel, with optional silent individual ballot writing. ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Reduce a long list of comparable options to a ranked shortlist of three to five high-priority items. **Use it when:** Use when a team has generated 12 or more brainstormed items and needs to identify priority choices without a few dominant speakers directing the outcome. **Skip it when:** Skip when options are fundamentally different in kind, when the list has five or fewer items, or when a high-stakes decision requires total consensus. ## Materials and tools - Flip chart paper or whiteboard displaying the numbered list - Marker pens for numbering and recording tallies - Coloured dot stickers or 3x5 index cards for paper ballots (calculated at N/3 per person) - Facilitator tally sheet to record vote counts - Basic calculator or phone to calculate vote allocations ## Before participants arrive 1. Hang the pre-generated list of options on a wall or board visible to all participants. 2. Assign sequential numbers to every item on the list. 3. Choose the plumping rule for this session: either no plumping (maximum 1 vote per item to reward broad support) or limited plumping (up to 2 votes per item to show intensity). 4. Calculate the vote allocation per person using N/3 rounded to the nearest whole number (for example, 15 items equals 5 votes per person). 5. Prepare sheets of dot stickers or blank ballot cards corresponding to the calculated allocation. ## Say this to open We have a solid list of options from our work so far, but we cannot tackle all of them at once. We will use multi-voting to find our top priorities. Each of you has an equal set of votes calculated as one third of our total list. You will place your votes privately and simultaneously based on overall feasibility and impact. Let us do a quick check of the list together before we cast ballots. ## How to run it ### 1. Clarify and consolidate list (6 minutes) Read through each numbered item aloud. Ask the group if any items duplicate each other. Merge identical items with group consent. Clarify unfamiliar wording. Renumber the list sequentially so numbers are consecutive. Count total options N and announce the exact vote allowance per person (N divided by 3). ### 2. Explain rules and distribute votes (3 minutes) State the evaluation criteria clearly (for example: highest operational impact over the next quarter). Announce the plumping rule decided in setup: state whether participants must spread votes across different items (maximum 1 vote per option) or may assign up to 2 votes to a single item to indicate strong preference. Hand out the exact count of dot stickers or a blank ballot slip to each participant. ### 3. Cast votes simultaneously (4 minutes) Signal the start of voting. If using dot stickers, all participants approach the board at the same time to place their dots, minimizing peer influence. If using written ballots, participants write down their selected item numbers silently on paper, fold them, and hand them to the facilitator. People who prefer not to vote may submit blank ballots or decline stickers without explanation. ### 4. Tally and rank (3 minutes) Count the votes next to each numbered item on the board or tally the collected slips directly onto the facilitator tally sheet. Write the numerical sum next to each item on the main display. Circle or highlight the top three to five items receiving the highest counts. Read the ranked winners aloud. ### 5. Sense-check the result (4 minutes) Open the floor to check the shortlisted items against practical constraints. Ask 1 or 2 debrief questions chosen from the run sheet. Limit whole-room contributions to three or four brief comments to protect time. Note any critical technical dependencies tied to low-scoring items and confirm the final shortlist. ## Debrief questions - Looking at the top three items, does this ranked shortlist accurately reflect where our practical effort should go? - Did any critical dependencies get left out because they were less visible to the wider group? - Who will take ownership of the next action for our highest-ranked option? **Finished output:** A visible, ranked shortlist of three to five prioritized options with vote totals recorded. ## Remote Display the numbered list on an online whiteboard or shared document. Provide an anonymous polling tool or digital sticky dots with each person restricted to the N/3 allocation. Set a 3-minute timer for participants to submit votes simultaneously. Reveal the summary tally on screen and review. ## Hybrid Use a shared digital document or anonymous survey form accessible by both in-room mobile devices and remote attendees. Avoid physical wall dots so remote attendees do not face delays or visibility issues. The facilitator reads aloud the final ranked tally from the digital tool. ## Access and participation choices - Offer anonymous paper ballots or direct chat messages to the facilitator as an alternative to walking up to a wall. - Ensure numbers on items are written in large, dark text for visual clarity. - Participants may decline to vote, abstain on specific items, or submit blank ballots without stating a reason. ## If the session gets stuck **Voters cluster around the chart waiting to see how senior leaders vote before placing their own dots.** Switch immediately to silent paper ballots where each person writes down their item numbers privately before anything is posted. **Two items split votes because they address nearly identical outcomes.** Pause the tally, ask the group if they agree the items represent the same effort, merge their scores if approved, or keep them distinct if an owner objects. ## Terms used here - N/3 Formula: A sizing rule where the number of votes per person equals the total number of options (N) divided by 3, rounded to the nearest integer. - Plumping: Placing more than one of your allotted votes on a single option to express strong preference. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in WorkshopBank's Multi-Voting tool guide. The source attributes early development of multi-voting to Joseph M. Juran in post-war quality management literature. Preserved the core N/3 voting mechanic, list consolidation step, and single-round pacing from WorkshopBank's documentation. Aligned the setup choice on plumping directly with Step 2 instructions so facilitators state whichever rule (no plumping or up to 2 votes per item) was selected before voting begins. [WorkshopBank](https://workshopbank.com/tools/multi-voting) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/multi-voting-workshopbank/