You are a constitutional council ranking individual git commits for ownership allocation.

Compare these two commits. Decide which contributed more lasting value to the project.

Judge substance, not spectacle:
- Prefer correct, lasting design and real bugfixes over churn, formatting, renames, or generated noise.
- Prefer clarity and necessity over sheer line count. A small precise change can beat a large diffuse one.
- Do not favor a side merely because its patch is longer or noisier.
- Weight what the change does for the project, not the contributor's name.

Return ONLY a JSON object: {"winner": "A" or "B", "ratio": "N:M", "explanation": "..."}
The explanation must cite concrete differences in the patches (1-3 sentences).

Side A — contributor: tommy-mor
Side A — commit message:
[04b81f91] Fix vote compare highlighting

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Side A — unified diff (full patch):
diff --git a/server/src/html/mod.rs b/server/src/html/mod.rs
index 588cf62bcea608ed4ede363810f022a67b43b960..e180a0ca542a33e2300c0a4809e6b9cfee07ecfe 100644
--- a/server/src/html/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/mod.rs
@@ -291,18 +291,17 @@ fn rank_list(
     label: &str,
     items: &[RankedItem],
     start_rank: usize,
-    total_ranked: usize,
-    ordinal_offset: usize,
     highlighted: &HashSet<ItemId>,
     tree: &GlobalTree,
 ) -> Markup {
+    let group_len = items.len();
     html! {
         @if !items.is_empty() {
             h3 class="rank-heading muted small" { (label) }
             ol class="rank-list" {
                 @for (i, r) in items.iter().enumerate() {
                     @let href = item_href(&r.item);
-                    @let style = rank_row_style(parent, ordinal_offset + i, total_ranked);
+                    @let style = rank_row_style(parent, i, group_len);
                     @let class = rank_row_class(&r.item, highlighted);
                     li class=(class)
                         data-rank-item=(r.item.as_str())
@@ -420,8 +419,6 @@ pub fn ranking_panel_with_highlights(
 
     let has_ranked = !ranked_groups.is_empty();
     let multi = ranked_groups.len() > 1;
-    let total_ranked: usize = ranked_groups.iter().map(|g| g.len()).sum();
-    let mut ordinal_offset = 0usize;
 
     html! {
         section id="ranking-panel" class="demo-panel" {
@@ -436,8 +433,7 @@ pub fn ranking_panel_with_highlights(
             } @else {
                 @for (gi, ranked) in ranked_groups.iter().enumerate() {
                     @let label = if multi { format!("Ranking group {}", gi + 1) } else { "Ranking".to_string() };
-                    (rank_list(item, &label, ranked, 1, total_ranked, ordinal_offset, highlighted, tree))
-                    @let _ = { ordinal_offset += ranked.len(); };
+                    (rank_list(item, &label, ranked, 1, highlighted, tree))
                 }
                 (unranked_list("Unranked", &unranked, highlighted, tree))
             }
@@ -520,7 +516,20 @@ pub async fn browse(State(state): State<AppState>, uri: Uri) -> impl IntoRespons
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use super::SORTER_UI_JS;
+    use super::{rank_row_style, SORTER_UI_JS};
+    use crate::path_types::ItemId;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rank_row_style_gradients_per_group_not_globally() {
+        let parent = ItemId::opaque("test-scope");
+        let first_in_four = rank_row_style(&parent, 0, 4);
+        let last_in_four = rank_row_style(&parent, 3, 4);
+        let first_in_two = rank_row_style(&parent, 0, 2);
+        let last_in_two = rank_row_style(&parent, 1, 2);
+        assert_eq!(first_in_four, first_in_two);
+        assert_eq!(last_in_four, last_in_two);
+        assert_ne!(first_in_four, last_in_four);
+    }
 
     #[test]
     fn vote_slider_left_position_favors_left_item() {
diff --git a/server/src/html/vote.rs b/server/src/html/vote.rs
index 483c7ff8cd35266744957cf0087f2b5f76f1a237..30dab303b9d1e763a5b9261dffff13a778e3e4e3 100644
--- a/server/src/html/vote.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/vote.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use crate::{
     ui_action::UI_RPC_FIELD,
 };
 
-use super::{breadcrumb_path, item_href, layout};
+use super::{breadcrumb_path, layout};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 pub struct VoteQuery {
@@ -59,17 +59,6 @@ fn child_title(tree: &GlobalTree, id: &ItemId) -> String {
         .unwrap_or_else(|| display_label(id))
 }
 
-fn ratio_pct(ratio_left: i32, ratio_right: i32) -> f64 {
-    let l = ratio_left.max(0) as f64;
-    let r = ratio_right.max(0) as f64;
-    let sum = l + r;
-    if sum <= 0.0 {
-        50.0
-    } else {
-        (l / sum) * 100.0
-    }
-}
-
 fn ratios_for_page(v: &VoteData, page_left: &ItemId, page_right: &ItemId) -> (i32, i32) {
     match (v.a.as_str(), v.b.as_str()) {
         (a, b) if a == page_left.as_str() && b == page_right.as_str() => {
@@ -94,6 +83,37 @@ fn edge_votes(group: &GroupState, left: &ItemId, right: &ItemId) -> Vec<VoteData
         .collect()
 }
 
+/// HUD `data-winner` value: which side the ratio favours on this page.
+fn winner_side(r_left: i32, r_right: i32) -> &'static str {
+    if r_left > r_right {
+        "left"
+    } else if r_right > r_left {
+        "right"
+    } else {
+        "even"
+    }
+}
+
+fn winner_text(r_left: i32, r_right: i32) -> &'static str {
+    match winner_side(r_left, r_right) {
+        "left" => "left wins",
+        "right" => "right wins",
+        _ => "tie",
+    }
+}
+
+/// Map stored ratios to the live slider position (0 = full left, 100 = full right).
+/// Matches `sorter_ui.js`: `left = 100 - v`, `right = v`.
+fn slider_value_from_ratios(r_left: i32, r_right: i32) -> i32 {
+    let l = r_left.max(0) as f64;
+    let r = r_right.max(0) as f64;
+    let sum = l + r;
+    if sum <= 0.0 {
+        return 50;
+    }
+    ((r / sum) * 100.0).round().clamp(0.0, 100.0) as i32
+}
+
 fn vote_edge_history(tree: &GlobalTree, group: &GroupState, left: &ItemId, right: &ItemId) -> Markup {
     let mut votes = edge_votes(group, left, right);
     votes.sort_by(|a, b| b.ts.cmp(&a.ts));
@@ -106,17 +126,26 @@ fn vote_edge_history(tree: &GlobalTree, group: &GroupState, left: &ItemId, right
             h3 class="vote-edge-history-title" {
                 "votes on this pair"
             }
+            p class="muted small vote-edge-legend" {
+                (format!("left: {legend_left} — right: {legend_right}"))
+            }
             ul class="vote-edge-history" {
                 @for v in &votes {
                     @let (r_left, r_right) = ratios_for_page(v, left, right);
-                    @let pct = ratio_pct(r_left, r_right);
+                    @let slider_val = slider_value_from_ratios(r_left, r_right);
+                    @let side = winner_side(r_left, r_right);
+                    @let label = winner_text(r_left, r_right);
                     li class="vote-edge-history-row" {
                         div class="vote-edge-meta" {
                             span class="vote-edge-ratio" { (format!("{}:{}", r_left, r_right)) }
+                            span class="vote-edge-winner muted small" { " · " (label) }
                         }
-                        div class="ratio-bar vote-edge-bar" aria-hidden="true" {
-                            div class="ratio-left" style={(format!("width: {:.3}%;", pct))} {}
-                            div class="ratio-right" style={(format!("width: {:.3}%;", 100.0 - pct))} {}
+                        label class="vote-hud-slider vote-edge-slider" aria-hidden="true" {
+                            input type="range" class="vote-edge-range" min="0" max="100" value=(slider_val)
+                                data-winner=(side)
+                                style={(format!("--vote-slider-pct: {}%;", slider_val))}
+                                disabled
+                                tabindex="-1";
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -283,7 +312,6 @@ pub async fn vote_page(
                         span class="vote-compare-vs" { "vs" }
                         (vote_compare_item_card(&tree, &right, "vote-compare-right"))
                     }
-                    (vote_back_nav(&parent))
                     div id="vote-edge-history-region" {
                         (edge_history)
                     }
@@ -308,3 +336,66 @@ pub async fn vote_page(
     )
     .into_response()
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod polarity_tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::ranking::ranked_items;
+    use crate::reducer::GlobalTree;
+
+    fn id(s: &str) -> ItemId {
+        ItemId::parse(s).unwrap()
+    }
+
+    /// The page's left number must always equal the vote's weight for the
+    /// item shown on the left, regardless of which order the vote stored a/b.
+    #[test]
+    fn ratios_for_page_orients_to_page_left() {
+        let left = id("left_item");
+        let right = id("right_item");
+
+        // Stored a == page left: keep order.
+        let v1 = VoteData::from_recorded(1, left.as_str(), right.as_str(), 9, 1).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(ratios_for_page(&v1, &left, &right), (9, 1));
+
+        // Stored a == page right: swap so left stays left.
+        let v2 = VoteData::from_recorded(2, right.as_str(), left.as_str(), 9, 1).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(ratios_for_page(&v2, &left, &right), (1, 9));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn winner_side_follows_larger_ratio() {
+        assert_eq!(winner_side(9, 1), "left");
+        assert_eq!(winner_side(1, 9), "right");
+        assert_eq!(winner_side(1, 1), "even");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn slider_value_matches_hud_mapping() {
+        assert_eq!(slider_value_from_ratios(9, 1), 10);
+        assert_eq!(slider_value_from_ratios(1, 4), 80);
+        assert_eq!(slider_value_from_ratios(1, 1), 50);
+    }
+
+    /// End-to-end polarity invariant: a vote that favours the LEFT item (higher
+    /// `ratio_left`, recorded as the RPC's `a`) must make that item rank #1.
+    /// This is the property the UI must preserve: sliding left => left wins.
+    #[test]
+    fn sliding_left_makes_left_item_win_ranking() {
+        let parent = id("scope");
+        let left = id("left_item");
+        let right = id("right_item");
+
+        // Slider dragged left yields e.g. 9:1 with a = left item.
+        let vote = VoteData::from_recorded(1, left.as_str(), right.as_str(), 9, 1).unwrap();
+        let mut tree = GlobalTree::new();
+        tree.apply_vote(&parent, vote);
+
+        let group = &tree.get(&parent).unwrap().local_ranking;
+        let ranked = ranked_items(group);
+        assert_eq!(
+            ranked[0].item, left,
+            "left item should rank first when ratio favours the left"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/server/static/sorter.css b/server/static/sorter.css
index 5da967e8bfddc2bc34662fced841860f63f1ef36..bdd3d931365703705be08537a07f3ccaf975d3ea 100644
--- a/server/static/sorter.css
+++ b/server/static/sorter.css
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ code {
   z-index: 1;
   box-shadow:
     inset 0 0 0 3px var(--accent),
-    inset 0 0 0 5px color-mix(in oklch, var(--rank-fg) 70%, transparent);
+    inset 0 0 0 5px color-mix(in oklch, var(--rank-fg, var(--fg)) 70%, transparent);
   filter: saturate(1.15) brightness(1.04);
 }
 
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ h1 {
   grid-template-columns: var(--vote-ratio-col) minmax(0, 1fr) var(--vote-actions-col);
   gap: 0.5rem 0.65rem;
   align-items: center;
-  --vote-ratio-col: 3.25rem;
+  --vote-ratio-col: 12.5rem;
   --vote-actions-col: 11.5rem;
 }
 
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ h1 {
   margin: 0;
   width: var(--vote-ratio-col);
   min-width: var(--vote-ratio-col);
-  text-align: center;
+  text-align: right;
   white-space: nowrap;
 }
 
@@ -474,6 +474,16 @@ h1 {
   --vote-track-muted: color-mix(in oklch, var(--muted) 55%, var(--bg));
 }
 
+/* Center-anchored fill: the accent grows from the midpoint toward the thumb,
+   so the highlighted mass always sits on the *winning* side (the side the
+   thumb was dragged toward). Left winning => accent on the left half. */
+.vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="even"]::-webkit-slider-runnable-track {
+  height: 0.65rem;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  border: 2px solid var(--border);
+  background: var(--vote-track-muted);
+}
+
 .vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="left"]::-webkit-slider-runnable-track {
   height: 0.65rem;
   border-radius: 0;
@@ -483,7 +493,9 @@ h1 {
     var(--vote-track-muted) 0%,
     var(--vote-track-muted) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
     var(--accent) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
-    var(--accent) 100%
+    var(--accent) 50%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 50%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 100%
   );
 }
 
@@ -493,7 +505,9 @@ h1 {
   border: 2px solid var(--border);
   background: linear-gradient(
     to right,
-    var(--accent) 0%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 0%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 50%,
+    var(--accent) 50%,
     var(--accent) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
     var(--vote-track-muted) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
     var(--vote-track-muted) 100%
@@ -513,26 +527,35 @@ h1 {
 }
 
 .vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="left"]::-moz-range-track,
-.vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="right"]::-moz-range-track {
+.vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="right"]::-moz-range-track,
+.vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="even"]::-moz-range-track {
   height: 0.65rem;
   border-radius: 0;
   border: 2px solid var(--border);
 }
 
+.vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="even"]::-moz-range-track {
+  background: var(--vote-track-muted);
+}
+
 .vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="left"]::-moz-range-track {
   background: linear-gradient(
     to right,
     var(--vote-track-muted) 0%,
     var(--vote-track-muted) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
     var(--accent) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
-    var(--accent) 100%
+    var(--accent) 50%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 50%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 100%
   );
 }
 
 .vote-hud-slider input[type="range"][data-winner="right"]::-moz-range-track {
   background: linear-gradient(
     to right,
-    var(--accent) 0%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 0%,
+    var(--vote-track-muted) 50%,
+    var(--accent) 50%,
     var(--accent) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
     var(--vote-track-muted) var(--vote-slider-pct, 50%),
     var(--vote-track-muted) 100%
@@ -573,20 +596,23 @@ h1 {
   margin-bottom: 0.25rem;
 }
 
-.ratio-bar {
-  display: flex;
-  height: 8px;
-  border-radius: 0;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  background: var(--border);
+/* Read-only sliders in vote history — same track/thumb styling as the HUD. */
+.vote-edge-slider {
+  display: block;
+  margin-top: 0.15rem;
 }
 
-.ratio-left {
-  background: var(--accent);
+.vote-edge-slider input[type="range"] {
+  pointer-events: none;
+  cursor: default;
+}
+
+.vote-edge-slider input[type="range"]:disabled {
+  opacity: 1;
 }
 
-.ratio-right {
-  background: var(--muted);
+.vote-edge-legend {
+  margin: 0 0 0.5rem;
 }
 
 @media (max-width: 900px) {
diff --git a/server/static/sorter_ui.js b/server/static/sorter_ui.js
index f665b45f4fd4771427dc4c37e563e4976873beee..5d6d765f69f301722e59248c76e919043559fb78 100644
--- a/server/static/sorter_ui.js
+++ b/server/static/sorter_ui.js
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@
     function update() {
       var v = parseInt(slider.value, 10);
       if (!Number.isFinite(v)) v = 50;
+      // Slider position drives the colored fill (a center-anchored bar that
+      // grows toward whichever side is winning — see sorter.css). Sliding the
+      // thumb left raises the left number; left winning keeps the accent mass
+      // on the left, matching the "votes on this pair" history bars.
       slider.style.setProperty('--vote-slider-pct', v + '%');
       slider.setAttribute('aria-valuenow', String(v));
       var left = Math.max(1, 100 - v);
@@ -147,8 +151,12 @@
       right = right / divisor;
       if (leftInput) leftInput.value = String(left);
       if (rightInput) rightInput.value = String(right);
-      if (ratioDisplay) ratioDisplay.textContent = left + ':' + right;
-      slider.dataset.winner = left >= right ? 'left' : 'right';
+      var winner = left > right ? 'left' : (right > left ? 'right' : 'even');
+      slider.dataset.winner = winner;
+      if (ratioDisplay) {
+        var label = winner === 'even' ? 'tie' : (winner + ' wins');
+        ratioDisplay.textContent = left + ':' + right + ' \u00b7 ' + label;
+      }
     }
     slider.addEventListener('input', update);
     update();


Side B — contributor: tommy-mor
Side B — commit message:
[0728c06a] Vote pool: use display_path in hrefs; test all 45 pairs + assert ranking.

- vote_compare_href and vote_pool_href now encode ~/… and -/… as their
  short display forms (not the full https://slug.social/… storage URL),
  matching what users see in the item display and DSL.
- Rewrite browser_vote_pool test to vote all C(10,2)=45 pairs in the
  pool, always preferring the alphabetically-earlier letter, then query
  GetGardenRank and assert the 10 items form one component ranked a→j.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Side B — unified diff (full patch):
diff --git a/server/src/html/garden/vote.rs b/server/src/html/garden/vote.rs
index 2682cfcbd2f834b56459a02831aa225cffe67c58..d0ec78cd675eae284d056fb3b8eaf5cc853d6263 100644
--- a/server/src/html/garden/vote.rs
+++ b/server/src/html/garden/vote.rs
@@ -234,8 +234,10 @@ pub(super) fn vote_compare_href(
     thread_override: Option<&str>,
     pool: Option<&ItemId>,
 ) -> String {
-    let left_q = urlencoding::encode(left.as_str());
-    let right_q = urlencoding::encode(right.as_str());
+    let left_dp = left.display_path();
+    let right_dp = right.display_path();
+    let left_q = urlencoding::encode(&left_dp);
+    let right_q = urlencoding::encode(&right_dp);
     let mut base = format!(
         "{}/vote?left={}&right={}",
         nav.room_path_prefix_for_vote_compare(),
@@ -246,16 +248,20 @@ pub(super) fn vote_compare_href(
         base = format!("{}&thread={}", base, urlencoding::encode(t));
     }
     if let Some(p) = pool {
-        base = format!("{}&pool={}", base, urlencoding::encode(p.as_str()));
+        let pool_dp = p.display_path();
+        base = format!("{}&pool={}", base, urlencoding::encode(&pool_dp));
     }
     base
 }
 
 pub(super) fn vote_pool_href(nav: &ThreadNav, pool_item_str: &str) -> String {
+    let display = ItemId::parse(pool_item_str)
+        .map(|i| i.display_path())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| pool_item_str.to_string());
     format!(
         "{}/vote?pool={}",
         nav.room_path_prefix_for_vote_compare(),
-        urlencoding::encode(pool_item_str)
+        urlencoding::encode(&display)
     )
 }
 
diff --git a/test/browser_vote_pool.clj b/test/browser_vote_pool.clj
index d51f05db47dc3cb013e56e65f3a1edfbbcbd96ab..23d0bd80b02bd8b1b48853454bed02793296550e 100644
--- a/test/browser_vote_pool.clj
+++ b/test/browser_vote_pool.clj
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 (ns test.browser-vote-pool
-  "Pool-scoped voting: seed ~/pool/a-j, enter via /vote?pool=~/pool, follow
-   the vote → next-pair → vote sequence until no next pair or 15 iterations."
+  "Pool-scoped voting: seed ~/pool/a-j (10 letters), follow the
+   vote → next-pair sequence for all C(10,2)=45 pairs voting the
+   alphabetically-earlier item each time, then assert the garden
+   ranking is a…j in order."
   (:require [babashka.fs :as fs]
             [cheshire.core :as json]
             [clojure.string :as str]
@@ -11,26 +13,38 @@
             [test.common :as common]
             [test.oauth :as oauth]))
 
+(def letters ["a" "b" "c" "d" "e" "f" "g" "h" "i" "j"])
+(def total-pairs (/ (* (count letters) (dec (count letters))) 2)) ; C(10,2) = 45
+
 (defn- wait-for-text [pg selector expected timeout-ms]
   (let [deadline (+ (System/currentTimeMillis) timeout-ms)]
     (loop []
-      (let [text (locator/text-content (page/locator pg selector))]
+      (let [text (try (locator/text-content (page/locator pg selector)) (catch Exception _ nil))]
         (if (and (string? text) (str/includes? text expected))
           true
           (if (< (System/currentTimeMillis) deadline)
-            (do (Thread/sleep 200) (recur))
+            (do (Thread/sleep 150) (recur))
             false))))))
 
 (defn- element-text [pg selector]
-  (try (locator/text-content (page/locator pg selector)) (catch Exception _ nil)))
+  (try (locator/text-content (page/locator pg selector)) (catch Exception _ "")))
 
 (defn- enc [^String s]
   (java.net.URLEncoder/encode s "UTF-8"))
 
-(def letters ["a" "b" "c" "d" "e" "f" "g" "h" "i" "j"])
+;; Extract the terminal path segment, e.g. "~/pool/c" → "c".
+(defn- leaf [path] (last (str/split path #"/")))
+
+;; Set the hidden ratio inputs so the alphabetically-earlier item wins.
+(defn- set-ratio! [pg left-text right-text]
+  (let [[rl rr] (if (neg? (compare (leaf left-text) (leaf right-text)))
+                  [100 0]   ; left is earlier → prefer left
+                  [0 100])] ; right is earlier → prefer right
+    (page/evaluate pg (str "document.getElementById('vote-ratio-left').value='" rl "'"))
+    (page/evaluate pg (str "document.getElementById('vote-ratio-right').value='" rr "'"))))
 
 (defn vote-pool-flow! []
-  (println "\n━━━ browser vote pool (/vote?pool= seeds + follow next-pair sequence) ━━━\n")
+  (println (str "\n━━━ browser vote pool (all " total-pairs " pairs → sorted ranking) ━━━\n"))
 
   (common/letlocals
    (bind build (common/run-cargo-build-release! ["slugsocial-server"]))
@@ -54,7 +68,6 @@
 
      (let [alice-token (oauth/fetch-bearer-token! base-url :username "alice")
            thread-tag  "browser-vote-pool"
-           ;; seed ~/pool/a through ~/pool/j as items with bodies
            item-lines  (str/join "\n"
                                  (map (fn [l] (str "~/pool/" l " {" l "}")) letters))
            raw         (str "# " thread-tag "\n\n~/pool {root}\n" item-lines "\n")
@@ -77,51 +90,57 @@
                (page/navigate pg (str base-url "/login"))
                (is (wait-for-text pg "body" "@alice" 15000) "alice session after login")
 
-               ;; Enter via pool URL — page picks first pair automatically.
                (page/navigate pg pool-url)
                (is (wait-for-text pg "body.view-vote-compare" "compare" 15000)
                    "pool entry: vote compare page loads")
 
-               ;; Verify the initial pair is within the pool.
-               (let [pair-text (element-text pg ".vote-compare-pair")]
-                 (is (and (string? pair-text) (str/includes? pair-text "~/pool/"))
-                     (str "initial pair is within ~/pool: " pair-text)))
-
-               ;; Follow vote → next-pair sequence up to 15 iterations.
-               (let [votes-cast
-                     (loop [i 0]
-                       (if (>= i 15)
-                         i
-                         (let [explanation (str "pool vote " i " reason")]
-                           (locator/fill (page/locator pg "#vote-explain") explanation)
-                           (locator/click (page/locator pg "#vote-compare-form button[type=submit]"))
-                           ;; Wait for edge history morph confirming the vote landed.
-                           (if-not (wait-for-text pg "ul.vote-edge-history" explanation 20000)
-                             (do (println "  vote" i "history morph timed out — stopping")
-                                 i)
-                             (let [has-next (wait-for-text pg "[data-testid=\"vote-next-pair\"]"
-                                                           "next pair" 8000)]
-                               (if-not has-next
-                                 ;; "no next pair" — pool exhausted.
-                                 (do (println "  no next pair after vote" i " — pool exhausted")
-                                     (inc i))
-                                 (do
-                                   ;; Verify the pair on this page is within the pool before advancing.
-                                   (let [pt (element-text pg ".vote-compare-pair")]
-                                     (is (and (string? pt) (str/includes? pt "~/pool/"))
-                                         (str "pair at vote " i " is within ~/pool: " pt)))
-                                   (locator/click (page/locator pg "[data-testid=\"vote-next-pair\"]"))
-                                   ;; Wait for next pair to load.
-                                   (wait-for-text pg "body.view-vote-compare" "compare" 10000)
-                                   (recur (inc i)))))))))]
-
-                 (is (>= votes-cast 1) (str "cast at least 1 vote, got: " votes-cast))
-                 (println (str "  pool voting sequence complete: " votes-cast " vote(s) cast")))
-
-               ;; After the sequence, the current page is still a pool-scoped vote page.
-               (let [url (page/url pg)]
-                 (is (str/includes? (or url "") "/vote")
-                     (str "still on /vote after sequence: " url))))))))
+               ;; Vote all 45 pairs, always preferring the alphabetically-earlier item.
+               (loop [votes-cast 0]
+                 (when (< votes-cast total-pairs)
+                   (let [left-text  (element-text pg ".vote-compare-left code")
+                         right-text (element-text pg ".vote-compare-right code")]
+                     (is (str/includes? left-text "~/pool/")
+                         (str "vote " votes-cast ": left is in pool: " left-text))
+                     (is (str/includes? right-text "~/pool/")
+                         (str "vote " votes-cast ": right is in pool: " right-text))
+                     (set-ratio! pg left-text right-text)
+                     (let [winner (if (neg? (compare (leaf left-text) (leaf right-text)))
+                                    (leaf left-text) (leaf right-text))]
+                       (locator/fill (page/locator pg "#vote-explain")
+                                     (str "prefer " winner)))
+                     (locator/click (page/locator pg "#vote-compare-form button[type=submit]"))
+                     (is (wait-for-text pg "ul.vote-edge-history" "prefer " 20000)
+                         (str "vote " votes-cast " appears in edge history"))
+                     (when (< (inc votes-cast) total-pairs)
+                       (is (wait-for-text pg "[data-testid=\"vote-next-pair\"]" "next pair" 8000)
+                           (str "next pair available after vote " votes-cast))
+                       (locator/click (page/locator pg "[data-testid=\"vote-next-pair\"]"))
+                       (is (wait-for-text pg "body.view-vote-compare" "compare" 10000)
+                           (str "vote page loaded for pair " (inc votes-cast))))
+                     (recur (inc votes-cast)))))
+
+               (println (str "  cast all " total-pairs " votes"))
+
+               ;; Query the ranking via RPC and assert alphabetical order.
+               (let [rank-resp  (oauth/http-post-json
+                                 (str base-url "/api/v0/rpc")
+                                 [{"GetGardenRank" {"room"        "public"
+                                                    "parent_path" "~/pool"}}]
+                                 :headers {"Authorization" (str "Bearer " alice-token)})
+                     rank-json  (json/parse-string (:body rank-resp) true)
+                     result     (get-in rank-json [:results 0 :result :GardenRank])
+                     components (:components result)
+                     unranked   (:unranked_items result)
+                     ranked     (mapv :item (mapcat :ranking components))
+                     ranked-leaves (mapv #(last (str/split % #"[/~]+")) ranked)]
+                 (is (= 1 (count components))
+                     (str "all 10 items form one connected component (got " (count components) ")"))
+                 (is (empty? unranked)
+                     (str "no unranked items (got " (count unranked) ")"))
+                 (is (= 10 (count ranked))
+                     (str "10 items ranked (got " (count ranked) ")"))
+                 (is (= letters ranked-leaves)
+                     (str "ranking is alphabetical a→j (got " ranked-leaves ")"))))))))
 
      (finally
        (when-some [s @!server] (common/kill-server s))