=== WM Voting – Simple Polls & Surveys ===
Contributors: wittemarketing
Tags: voting, poll, survey, polls, feedback
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.1
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Create simple anonymous votings and embed them with a shortcode anywhere in WordPress.

== Description ==

WM Voting lets you create lightweight votings in WordPress and embed them in pages, posts, widgets or custom post types with a shortcode.

Visitors vote anonymously by clicking an answer. The vote is counted immediately and the current result is displayed with clean result bars and percentages.

The first version is intentionally focused: it does not try to replace a full survey suite. It gives you a simple way to publish live-style votings directly inside WordPress.

= Core features =

* Create unlimited votings in the WordPress dashboard
* Add multiple answer options per voting
* Embed each voting with a shortcode such as `[wmvoting id="123"]`
* Anonymous one-click voting in the frontend
* AJAX vote saving without page reload
* Result bars and percentages after voting
* One vote per visitor and voting using a technical cookie/browser token
* Admin statistics with total votes and votes per answer
* Option to show or hide results before the visitor votes
* Option to show or hide total vote count
* Global accent color setting
* Dedicated "About us" page with related WM plugin cards
* Small welcome pointer after plugin activation

= Privacy-friendly by design =

WM Voting stores votes anonymously. To reduce repeated anonymous votes, the plugin uses a technical browser cookie/token and stores a non-reversible hash of that token with the vote. IP addresses are not stored by default.

Depending on your local legal requirements and your website setup, you may need to mention the voting cookie in your privacy policy or cookie information.

= Developer-friendly structure =

WM Voting is built as a free core plugin. The code structure already leaves room for future premium extensions through a separate add-on plugin.

Future extensions can hook into the free version without replacing the core plugin.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin folder to `/wp-content/plugins/` or install the ZIP file through the WordPress plugin screen.
2. Activate "WM Voting".
3. Open "WM Voting" in the WordPress dashboard.
4. Create a new voting and add your answer options.
5. Copy the generated shortcode.
6. Paste the shortcode into a page, post, widget or custom post type.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= How do I embed a voting? =

Create a voting in the dashboard and copy the shortcode from the voting editor. It looks like this:

`[wmvoting id="123"]`

= Can visitors vote without logging in? =

Yes. Visitors can vote anonymously without creating an account.

= Can a visitor vote more than once? =

The plugin is designed to allow one vote per visitor and voting. It uses a technical browser cookie/token and a non-reversible hash to reduce repeated voting. Like all anonymous browser-based mechanisms, this is not a high-security identity verification system.

= Are IP addresses stored? =

No. WM Voting does not store IP addresses by default.

= Can I use multiple votings on one website? =

Yes. You can create multiple votings and embed each one with its own shortcode.

= Can I show results before a visitor votes? =

Yes. Each voting has an option to show results before voting. By default, results are shown after the visitor has voted.

= Is this ready for future PRO extensions? =

Yes. The free plugin is structured as a stable core. Additional features can later be added through a separate PRO extension plugin.

== Screenshots ==

1. Frontend voting with answer options and result bars.
2. Voting editor with question title, answer options and shortcode box.
3. Global settings for accent color and default display options.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.1 =
* Improved plugin title and wording for better clarity.
* Added German translations for plugin strings and readme content.
* Updated WordPress.org plugin assets.

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release.
* Added voting custom post type.
* Added shortcode `[wmvoting id="123"]`.
* Added anonymous AJAX voting.
* Added one-vote-per-voting protection using a technical cookie/browser token.
* Added frontend result bars and percentages.
* Added inactive-voting notice with optional result display.
* Added admin statistics.
* Added global design settings.
* Added WM About us page.
* Added welcome pointer after activation.

== Upgrade Notice ==


= 1.0.0 =
Initial WordPress.org release.
