---
title: "What is a multiple-choice poll? Options, limits and Slack setup"
url: "https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/multiple-choice-poll/"
description: "A multiple-choice poll gives voters a fixed list of options. How pick-one and pick-many differ, and how to run either in Slack with Simple Poll."
---

# What is a multiple-choice poll?

**Multiple-choice poll**: A multiple-choice poll gives voters a fixed list of options to choose from. Depending on the settings, each person can pick one option or several.

Also known as: choice poll, multi-select poll, checkbox poll.

It's the default poll everywhere, including Slack. The setting that matters is how many
options each person may pick: one, a few, or as many as apply.

## Example polls

Paste any of these into the message box in Slack.

```text
/poll "Which topics should the next lunch-and-learn cover? Pick two." "Testing" "Observability" "Accessibility" "Security basics" "Career growth" limit 2
```

Pick up to two, to force a little prioritisation. *Premium: vote limits.*

```text
/poll "Which snacks should we restock?" "Fruit" "Granola bars" "Crisps" allow-options
```

Pick any, and add your own. *Free.*

```text
/poll "Which day should the offsite be?" "Thursday" "Friday" limit 1 close after 1 day
```

Pick one, closing after a day. *Premium: vote limits, closing automatically.*

## Pick one or pick many

- **Pick one** ([single-choice](https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/single-choice-poll/)): for exclusive answers and
  decisions. Votes equal voters.
- **Pick any** ([approval voting](https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/approval-voting/)): for finding overlap, like
  times that work or topics people want.
- **Pick up to N**: for prioritising. "Pick your top two" forces trade-offs without the
  effort of ranking everything.

## In Slack with Simple Poll

A choice poll is the default type. Put the question and each option in double quotes:
`/poll "Question" "Option 1" "Option 2"`. Voters can pick any number of options unless
you add `limit 1` or `limit 2` and so on (Premium).

The Free plan allows up to 5 options; Premium allows up to 45. Add `allow-options` to let
voters add their own, and `order-results-by-votes` to list options by votes instead of
your order. In a survey, a choice question is either single-choice (`limit 1`) or
unlimited.

## Writing the options

Short, parallel, non-overlapping. If the list might be incomplete, add `allow-options`
rather than a vague "Other". If you need people's order of preference, not just their
picks, use a [ranked poll](https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/ranked-choice-voting/).

## FAQ

### Can voters choose more than one option in a Slack poll?

Yes, by default. Simple Poll choice polls allow any number of picks until you add `limit`.

### How many options can a poll have?

Up to 5 on the Free plan and up to 45 on Premium.

## Related

- [What is a single-choice poll?](https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/single-choice-poll/): A single-choice poll lets each voter pick exactly one option. The result shows how a group splits when everyone has to commit to a single answer.
- [What is approval voting?](https://simplepoll.rocks/glossary/approval-voting/): Approval voting lets each voter pick every option they find acceptable, as many as they like. The option with the most approvals wins.
- [How to create a poll in Slack](https://simplepoll.rocks/guides/how-to-create-a-poll-in-slack/): Slack has no poll button of its own. Its help centre suggests two routes: install a polling app, or post a message and ask people to vote with emoji reactions. This guide covers the app route with Simple Poll, used by 945,000+ teams, because it gives you a real poll: counted votes, anonymous voting, one-vote limits and a clean result.
- [How to let people add options to a Slack poll](https://simplepoll.rocks/guides/how-to-let-people-add-options-to-a-slack-poll/): Sometimes you don't know all the options yet: the best venue, a name for the new team, the topic everyone actually wants. Turn on adding options and voters get an Add option button. Anything they add becomes an option everyone can vote on. It's free on every plan.

## Sources

- [How can I use Slash Commands to make a poll quickly?](https://help.simplepoll.rocks/article/120-how-can-i-use-slash-commands-to-make-a-poll-quickly)
- [Can others add options to my poll?](https://help.simplepoll.rocks/article/53-can-others-add-options-to-my-poll)

---

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