Participate in Cardano's on-chain governance through DRep delegation, registration, and voting.

Overview

Cardano's on-chain governance system (CIP-1694) enables the community to vote on proposals and protocol updates. You can delegate your voting power to Decentralized Representatives (DReps), register as a DRep yourself, and vote on governance actions.

When to use this:

Delegating your voting power to a DRep
Registering as a DRep to represent other voters
Voting on governance actions and protocol changes
Building governance dashboards and tools
Creating DRep management applications

Quick Start

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider } from "@meshsdk/core";

// Initialize
const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

// Get wallet data
const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();
const rewardAddresses = await wallet.getRewardAddresses();
const rewardAddress = rewardAddresses[0]!;

// Delegate to a DRep
txBuilder
  .voteDelegationCertificate(
    { dRepId: "drep1yv4uesaj92wk8ljlsh4p7jzndnzrflchaz5fzug3zxg4naqkpeas3" },
    rewardAddress
  )
  .changeAddress(changeAddress)
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

API Reference

voteDelegationCertificate()

Delegate voting power to a DRep.

.voteDelegationCertificate(drep: DRepId, rewardAddress: string)

Parameter	Type	Description
`drep`	`DRepId`	DRep identifier object
`rewardAddress`	`string`	Your stake/reward address

The DRepId object can specify:

{ dRepId: "drep1..." } - Delegate to a specific DRep
{ alwaysAbstain: true } - Always abstain from voting
{ alwaysNoConfidence: true } - Always vote no confidence

drepRegistrationCertificate()

.drepRegistrationCertificate(dRepId: string, anchor?: Anchor)

Parameter	Type	Description
`dRepId`	`string`	Your DRep ID (from wallet)
`anchor`	`Anchor`	Optional metadata anchor

The Anchor object:

{
  anchorUrl: string;      // URL to metadata JSON
  anchorDataHash: string; // Hash of metadata content
}

drepUpdateCertificate()

Update DRep metadata.

.drepUpdateCertificate(dRepId: string, anchor?: Anchor)

Parameter	Type	Description
`dRepId`	`string`	Your DRep ID
`anchor`	`Anchor`	New metadata anchor

drepDeregistrationCertificate()

Retire as a DRep and reclaim deposit.

.drepDeregistrationCertificate(dRepId: string)

Parameter	Type	Description
`dRepId`	`string`	Your DRep ID to retire

vote()

Cast a vote on a governance action.

.vote(voter: Voter, govActionId: GovActionId, votingProcedure: VotingProcedure)

Parameter	Type	Description
`voter`	`Voter`	Voter identity
`govActionId`	`GovActionId`	Governance action reference
`votingProcedure`	`VotingProcedure`	Vote details

The Voter object:

// DRep voter
{ type: "DRep", drepId: "drep1..." }

// Stake pool operator
{ type: "StakePool", poolId: "pool1..." }

// Constitutional committee member
{ type: "ConstitutionalCommittee", hotCred: "..." }

The VotingProcedure object:

{
  voteKind: "Yes" | "No" | "Abstain";
  anchor?: {
    anchorUrl: string;
    anchorDataHash: string;
  };
}

votePlutusScriptV3()

Indicate voting with a Plutus script.

.votePlutusScriptV3()

voteScript()

Provide the voting script.

.voteScript(scriptCbor: string)

voteRedeemerValue()

Provide the redeemer for script-based voting.

.voteRedeemerValue(redeemer: Data | object | string, type?: "Mesh" | "CBOR" | "JSON", exUnits?: Budget)

Common Patterns

Delegate to a DRep

Delegate your voting power to a registered DRep:

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();
const rewardAddresses = await wallet.getRewardAddresses();
const rewardAddress = rewardAddresses[0]!;

const dRepId = "drep1yv4uesaj92wk8ljlsh4p7jzndnzrflchaz5fzug3zxg4naqkpeas3";

txBuilder
  .voteDelegationCertificate({ dRepId }, rewardAddress)
  .changeAddress(changeAddress)
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

console.log(`Delegated to DRep: ${txHash}`);

Delegate to Always Abstain

Configure your stake to always abstain from voting:

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();
const rewardAddresses = await wallet.getRewardAddresses();
const rewardAddress = rewardAddresses[0]!;

txBuilder
  .voteDelegationCertificate({ alwaysAbstain: true }, rewardAddress)
  .changeAddress(changeAddress)
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

Register as a DRep

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider, hashDrepAnchor } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

// Get DRep ID from wallet
const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

// Prepare metadata anchor
const anchorUrl = "https://example.com/drep-metadata.jsonld";
const anchorMetadata = {
  "@context": {
    "@language": "en",
    "CIP100": "https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/blob/master/CIP-0100/README.md",
    "CIP119": "https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/blob/master/CIP-0119/README.md",
    "hashAlgorithm": "CIP100:hashAlgorithm",
    "body": { "@id": "CIP119:body" },
    "givenName": "CIP119:givenName"
  },
  "hashAlgorithm": "blake2b-256",
  "body": {
    "givenName": "My DRep Name"
  }
};
const anchorHash = hashDrepAnchor(anchorMetadata);

// Get wallet data
const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

txBuilder
  .drepRegistrationCertificate(dRepId, {
    anchorUrl,
    anchorDataHash: anchorHash,
  })
  .changeAddress(changeAddress)
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

console.log(`DRep registered: ${txHash}`);

Update DRep Metadata

Update your DRep profile information:

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider, hashDrepAnchor } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

// New metadata
const anchorUrl = "https://example.com/drep-metadata-v2.jsonld";
const anchorMetadata = { /* updated metadata */ };
const anchorHash = hashDrepAnchor(anchorMetadata);

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

txBuilder
  .drepUpdateCertificate(dRepId, {
    anchorUrl,
    anchorDataHash: anchorHash,
  })
  .changeAddress(changeAddress)
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

console.log(`DRep updated: ${txHash}`);

Retire as DRep

Retire from being a DRep and reclaim your deposit:

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

txBuilder
  .drepDeregistrationCertificate(dRepId)
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos)
  .changeAddress(changeAddress);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

console.log(`DRep retired: ${txHash}`);

Vote on Governance Action

Cast a vote as a DRep:

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

// Governance action to vote on
const govActionTxHash = "aff2909f8175ee02a8c1bf96ff516685d25bf0c6b95aac91f4dfd53a5c0867cc";
const govActionIndex = 0;

txBuilder
  .vote(
    {
      type: "DRep",
      drepId: dRepId,
    },
    {
      txHash: govActionTxHash,
      txIndex: govActionIndex,
    },
    {
      voteKind: "Yes",
    }
  )
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos)
  .changeAddress(changeAddress);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

console.log(`Vote cast: ${txHash}`);

Vote with Rationale

Include reasoning for your vote:

import { MeshTxBuilder, BlockfrostProvider, hashDrepAnchor } from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

// Prepare vote rationale
const rationaleUrl = "https://example.com/vote-rationale.jsonld";
const rationaleContent = {
  rationale: "I support this proposal because...",
  references: ["https://example.com/supporting-doc"],
};
const rationaleHash = hashDrepAnchor(rationaleContent);

txBuilder
  .vote(
    {
      type: "DRep",
      drepId: dRepId,
    },
    {
      txHash: "abc123...",
      txIndex: 0,
    },
    {
      voteKind: "Yes",
      anchor: {
        anchorUrl: rationaleUrl,
        anchorDataHash: rationaleHash,
      },
    }
  )
  .selectUtxosFrom(utxos)
  .changeAddress(changeAddress);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

Vote with Plutus Script

Vote using a Plutus script DRep:

import {
  MeshTxBuilder,
  BlockfrostProvider,
  resolveScriptHash,
  resolveScriptHashDRepId,
  applyCborEncoding
} from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");
const txBuilder = new MeshTxBuilder({
  fetcher: provider,
  verbose: true,
});

const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
const collateral = await wallet.getCollateral();
const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

// Your voting script
const votingScriptCbor = applyCborEncoding("your-voting-script-cbor");
const scriptHash = resolveScriptHash(votingScriptCbor, "V3");
const scriptDRepId = resolveScriptHashDRepId(scriptHash);

txBuilder
  .txIn(
    utxos[0]!.input.txHash,
    utxos[0]!.input.outputIndex,
    utxos[0]!.output.amount,
    utxos[0]!.output.address
  )
  .txInCollateral(
    collateral[0]!.input.txHash,
    collateral[0]!.input.outputIndex,
    collateral[0]!.output.amount,
    collateral[0]!.output.address
  )
  .votePlutusScriptV3()
  .vote(
    {
      type: "DRep",
      drepId: scriptDRepId,
    },
    {
      txHash: "abc123...",
      txIndex: 0,
    },
    {
      voteKind: "Yes",
    }
  )
  .voteScript(votingScriptCbor)
  .voteRedeemerValue("")
  .changeAddress(changeAddress);

const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx, true);
const txHash = await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);

Complete Example

This example demonstrates a complete DRep lifecycle:

import {
  MeshTxBuilder,
  BlockfrostProvider,
  hashDrepAnchor
} from "@meshsdk/core";

const provider = new BlockfrostProvider("<YOUR_API_KEY>");

function getTxBuilder() {
  return new MeshTxBuilder({
    fetcher: provider,
    verbose: true,
  });
}

// Register as a DRep
async function registerDRep(
  wallet: any,
  name: string,
  metadataUrl: string
) {
  const txBuilder = getTxBuilder();

  const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
  const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

  const metadata = {
    "@context": { /* CIP-119 context */ },
    "body": { "givenName": name }
  };
  const anchorHash = hashDrepAnchor(metadata);

  const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
  const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

  txBuilder
    .drepRegistrationCertificate(dRepId, {
      anchorUrl: metadataUrl,
      anchorDataHash: anchorHash,
    })
    .changeAddress(changeAddress)
    .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

  const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
  const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
  return await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);
}

// Vote on a governance action
async function castVote(
  wallet: any,
  govActionTxHash: string,
  govActionIndex: number,
  voteKind: "Yes" | "No" | "Abstain"
) {
  const txBuilder = getTxBuilder();

  const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
  const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

  const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
  const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

  txBuilder
    .vote(
      { type: "DRep", drepId: dRepId },
      { txHash: govActionTxHash, txIndex: govActionIndex },
      { voteKind }
    )
    .selectUtxosFrom(utxos)
    .changeAddress(changeAddress);

  const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
  const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
  return await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);
}

// Delegate to a DRep
async function delegateToDRep(wallet: any, dRepId: string) {
  const txBuilder = getTxBuilder();

  const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
  const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();
  const rewardAddresses = await wallet.getRewardAddresses();
  const rewardAddress = rewardAddresses[0]!;

  txBuilder
    .voteDelegationCertificate({ dRepId }, rewardAddress)
    .changeAddress(changeAddress)
    .selectUtxosFrom(utxos);

  const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
  const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
  return await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);
}

// Retire as DRep
async function retireDRep(wallet: any) {
  const txBuilder = getTxBuilder();

  const dRep = await wallet.getDRep();
  const dRepId = dRep.dRepIDCip105;

  const utxos = await wallet.getUtxos();
  const changeAddress = await wallet.getChangeAddress();

  txBuilder
    .drepDeregistrationCertificate(dRepId)
    .selectUtxosFrom(utxos)
    .changeAddress(changeAddress);

  const unsignedTx = await txBuilder.complete();
  const signedTx = await wallet.signTx(unsignedTx);
  return await wallet.submitTx(signedTx);
}

// Usage
async function main() {
  // 1. Register as DRep
  const regTx = await registerDRep(
    wallet,
    "Community DRep",
    "https://example.com/metadata.jsonld"
  );
  console.log(`Registered as DRep: ${regTx}`);

  // 2. Vote on proposals
  const voteTx = await castVote(
    wallet,
    "proposal-tx-hash...",
    0,
    "Yes"
  );
  console.log(`Vote cast: ${voteTx}`);

  // 3. Others delegate to you
  const delegateTx = await delegateToDRep(
    otherWallet,
    "drep1..." // Your DRep ID
  );
  console.log(`Delegation received: ${delegateTx}`);

  // 4. Eventually retire
  const retireTx = await retireDRep(wallet);
  console.log(`Retired as DRep: ${retireTx}`);
}

Troubleshooting

"DRep not registered" error

You must register as a DRep before voting
Use drepRegistrationCertificate() first

"Invalid anchor hash" error

The hash must match the content at the URL exactly
Use hashDrepAnchor() to compute the correct hash
Ensure the metadata file is publicly accessible

"Insufficient deposit" error

DRep registration requires a deposit (check current protocol parameters)
Ensure wallet has enough ADA for deposit + fees

"DRep inactive" error

DReps must vote regularly to stay active
Vote on governance actions or submit an update certificate

"Governance action not found" error

Verify the transaction hash and index are correct
The governance action may have already been resolved

"Invalid voter type" error

Ensure the voter type matches your role (DRep, SPO, or CC)
Use the correct identifier format for each type

Transaction Basics — Core transaction building
Staking — Stake delegation
CIP-1694 — Governance specification
CIP-119 — DRep metadata standard

Governance Transactions