diff --git a/ConfigItem/EntityList.cs b/ConfigItem/EntityList.cs
index 2a3893b..9e87b56 100644
--- a/ConfigItem/EntityList.cs
+++ b/ConfigItem/EntityList.cs
@@ -123,5 +123,13 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.ConfigItem
             // No match.
             return false;
         }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Determines if this is an empty list.
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool IsEmpty()
+        {
+            return Channels.Count() + Roles.Count() + Users.Count() == 0;
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Module/VoteTempChannel/Configuration.cs b/Module/VoteTempChannel/Configuration.cs
index 4bb4ce2..cd7916f 100644
--- a/Module/VoteTempChannel/Configuration.cs
+++ b/Module/VoteTempChannel/Configuration.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
 using Noikoio.RegexBot.ConfigItem;
 using System;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 
 namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
@@ -39,6 +40,12 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
         /// </summary>
         public TimeSpan ChannelDuration { get; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Entities that are allowed to cast the initial vote.
+        /// An empty list allows anyone to initiate a vote.
+        /// </summary>
+        public EntityList VoteStarters { get; }
+
         public Configuration(JObject j)
         {
             VoteCommand = j["VoteCommand"]?.Value<string>();
@@ -62,6 +69,9 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
             ChannelDuration = ParseTimeConfig(j, "ChannelDuration");
             VotingDuration = ParseTimeConfig(j, "VotingDuration");
             VotingCooldown = ParseTimeConfig(j, "VotingCooldown");
+
+            VoteStarters = new EntityList(j["VoteStarters"]);
+            // Accepts empty lists.
         }
 
         private string ParseChannelNameConfig(JObject conf, string valueName)
diff --git a/Module/VoteTempChannel/VoteTempChannel.cs b/Module/VoteTempChannel/VoteTempChannel.cs
index f17d593..356561a 100644
--- a/Module/VoteTempChannel/VoteTempChannel.cs
+++ b/Module/VoteTempChannel/VoteTempChannel.cs
@@ -55,13 +55,21 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
             // Check if command invoked
             if (!arg.Content.StartsWith(info.Config.VoteCommand, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase)) return;
 
-            // Check if we're accepting votes. Locking here; background task may be using this.
+            // Check if we're accepting votes. Locking here; other tasks may alter this data.
             bool cooldown;
             bool voteCounted = false;
             string newChannelName = null;
             lock (info)
             {
-                if (info.GetTemporaryChannel(guild) != null) return; // channel exists, nothing to vote for
+                if (info.GetTemporaryChannel(guild) != null) return; // channel exists, do nothing
+
+                if (info.Voting.AwaitingInitialVote())
+                {
+                    // Vote not in effect. Ignore those not allowed to initiate a vote (if configured).
+                    if (!info.Config.VoteStarters.IsEmpty() &&
+                        !info.Config.VoteStarters.ExistsInList(arg)) return;
+                }
+
                 cooldown = info.Voting.IsInCooldown();
                 if (!cooldown)
                 {
@@ -72,7 +80,7 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
                     }
                 }
 
-                // Prepare new temporary channel while we're still locking state
+                // Prepare new temporary channel while we're still locking
                 if (newChannelName != null) info.TempChannelLastActivity = DateTime.UtcNow;
             }
 
@@ -105,7 +113,6 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
                         + "\nBe aware that this channel is temporary and **will** be deleted later.");
                 newChannelName = newCh.Id.ToString(); // For use in the confirmation message
             }
-
             await arg.Channel.SendMessageAsync(":white_check_mark: Channel creation vote has been counted."
                     + (newChannelName != null ? $"\n<#{newChannelName}> has been created!" : ""));
         }
diff --git a/Module/VoteTempChannel/VotingSession.cs b/Module/VoteTempChannel/VotingSession.cs
index e488243..45c5a35 100644
--- a/Module/VoteTempChannel/VotingSession.cs
+++ b/Module/VoteTempChannel/VotingSession.cs
@@ -38,6 +38,15 @@ namespace Noikoio.RegexBot.Module.VoteTempChannel
             return true;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Reports if this session is awaiting its first vote.
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool AwaitingInitialVote()
+        {
+            if (IsInCooldown()) return false;
+            return _votes.Count == 0;
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Checks if the voting session has expired.
         /// To be called by the background task. This automatically resets and sets cooldown.