The Solana Foundation has launched Solana Governance Proposals, a new on-chain system for protocol decisions. Validators and SOL delegators can now cast stake-weighted votes on major network issues.
This system functions like a shareholder vote. Voting power is derived from the amount of SOL a user has staked. A key feature is "staker sovereignty," allowing delegators to override their chosen validator's vote on any proposal.
The proposal process has a high barrier to entry. A validator must hold at least 100,000 SOL to register a proposal. For a vote to begin, 15% of the active cluster stake must first support the proposal. Final passage requires a two-thirds supermajority.
All votes are recorded on-chain using cryptographic Merkle proofs, ensuring transparency. The Solana Foundation has established a governance dashboard and documentation for the system.
These proposals, known as SGPs, are separate from the existing Solana Improvement Documents. SIMDs handle technical engineering changes. SGPs are designed for broader strategic direction and high-level policy questions. The structure aims to balance core developer oversight with community input on major decisions.