The different poll types

EasyPoll offers three different poll types, each designed for specific use cases. Choose the poll type that best fits your needs based on the level of transparency and privacy you require.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Normal Poll	Hidden Poll	Anonymous Poll
Vote count visible	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Results visible during voting	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Participating members visible	✅ Yes (everyone)	⚠️ Only with permissions	❌ No (not even admins)
Complete anonymity	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Results after closing	✅ Visible	✅ Visible	✅ Visible
Best for	Casual polls, transparent voting	Private voting with tracking	Sensitive topics, elections

Normal Polls

Normal polls are the default and most transparent poll type. They work like traditional polls where everyone can see the current state of voting.

Features

• Results and vote distribution are visible to everyone in real-time
• Participating members are publicly visible
• The current vote count is displayed on each option
• No restrictions on viewing results
• Maximum transparency - everyone sees who voted and current results

Best use cases

• Casual polls and fun questions
• Community preferences where transparency is valued
• Situations where social proof is beneficial
• Non-sensitive topics

Hidden Polls

Hidden polls offer a middle ground between normal and anonymous polls. Results are hidden during voting, but administrators can track participation.

Features

• Results are only visible after closing the poll
• Users with permissions can view results anytime using /showpoll
• Participating members are visible to users with permissions
• The vote count is hidden from regular users during voting
• Balance between privacy and accountability

Best use cases

• Internal team decisions and voting
• Attendance checks with vote privacy
• Situations requiring both privacy and accountability
• Corporate polls where tracking participation matters

Anonymous Polls

Anonymous polls provide complete anonymity for all participants. Nobody, not even server administrators, can see who voted for what.

Features

• Results are only visible after closing the poll
• Users with permissions can view results anytime using /showpoll
• No participant information is visible to anyone - complete anonymity
• The vote count is hidden during the voting period
• Even administrators cannot see who voted for which option
• Complete privacy and truly anonymous voting

Best use cases

• Sensitive topics or controversial questions
• Elections and formal votes
• Feedback where honest opinions are critical
• Situations requiring unbiased results