The "Wait for Quiet" (W4Q) period is a mechanism in the Internet Computer's governance system that allows proposals to pass with a simple majority (majority of all votes cast) instead of an absolute majority (majority of all eligible votes). This mechanism is designed to prevent a large voter from "sniping" the election, especially when voter turnout is low.
- Here's how it works:
Each proposal begins with the deadline set at 24 hours. - Any time the vote “flips” from majority "yes" to majority "no," or vice versa, the deadline is adjusted to be the greater of the current deadline, E + (W + (P - E) / 2), where W is a fixed value of 12 hours, P is the original deadline (24 hours) and E is the time elapsed from the beginning of the proposal.
- If vote flips keep occurring near the end, causing repeated extensions, the maximum possible deadline would be 48 hours.
The W4Q period is designed to prevent election sniping by extending the voting period each time the majority vote flips, giving all voters enough time to participate in the voting process.
Learn more about the wait for quiet mechanism on our DFINITY Forum.