A Mock Vote or Fake Tribal Council is an occasional game mechanic where a tribe votes at Tribal Council, but instead of eliminating the player they vote out of the game, the eliminated player stays but with a consequence. The tribe may be made to believe that they will be permanently voting out a member, or the twist may be publicly announced to the tribe prior to the vote. The concept originally appeared in the first season of Survivor South Africa and has become a staple game mechanic in Australian Survivor since its revival in 2016.
Overview
Twist History
United States
The concept of a mock vote first appeared at The Outcasts' Tribal Council in Pearl Islands. Having placed first in the Immunity Challenge, the Outcasts were instructed to vote two members back into the game. Burton Roberts and Lillian Morris were voted to return to the game.
At the Double Tribal Council of Palau, the Koror tribe won the Reward Challenge and had the opportunity to sit in on Ulong's Tribal Council. Before Ulong got up to vote, Koror was tasked to vote for one member of Ulong to receive immunity. Koror voted for Ibrehem Rahman to receive individual immunity.
Most recently, the mock vote appeared at the Double Tribal Council of Guatemala. After winning individual immunity, Rafe Judkins attended Yaxhá's Tribal Council. After Yaxhá cast their votes to eliminate a member, Rafe was instructed to vote to give immunity to one of the Yaxhá members, saving them from elimination if they received the most votes. Yaxhá voted to eliminate Brian Corridan; with Rafe voting to give immunity to Gary Hogeboom, Brian's fate was sealed and he was voted out in 12th place.
Australia
The tribe that lost the Immunity Challenge is made to believe they will be attending a typical Tribal Council. Depending on the twist, the announcement of the mock vote may occur ahead of the casting of the votes, prior to the reading of the votes, or after the reading of the votes. Thus, the castaways may have no idea there will be no elimination. Tribal Council will be held as usual, but once a player is "voted out" and prepares to hand their torch to the host, the host informs the player that they will not be eliminated. Instead, they face a consequence pre-determined by production. This is not to be confused with instances where the contestants are formally voted out and have to compete in a re-entry challenge, either in the same episode at Tribal Council or in a later episode on Redemption Rock, Exile Beach, or Purgatory.
| Season | Episode | Received Most Votes |
Non-Elimination Twist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Survivor (2016) | 5 |  Nick Iadanza |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe, with the option to choose a former tribemate to swap along with them. |
 Conner Bethune | |||
| Australian Survivor (2017) | 8 |  Tara Pitt |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe. |
 Anneliese Wilson | |||
| 11 |  Ziggy Zagame |
After winning the Immunity Challenge, Samatau was told to vote for one of their members to compete for the "ultimate reward". The person who received the most votes would receive the opportunity to search for a super idol. | |
| Champions v Contenders (2018) | 19 |  Steve Willis |
Given the status of "Dead Man Walking", thus banished to live on Exile Beach and rendered ineligible to vote at Tribal Council until the final five. |
| Champions v Contenders (2019) | 9 |  Shaun Hampson |
The Champions cast their vote to kidnap one player from the Contenders. |
| All Stars | 6 |  Shonee Bowtell |
The two castaways who received the most votes were sent to Exile Beach to await a tribe switch. |
 Zach Kozyrski | |||
| Brains v Brawn (2021) | 6 |  Cara Atchison |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe. |
| Blood v Water | 4 |  Sophie Cachia |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe. |
| 10 |  KJ Austin |
After the votes were cast, it was revealed that the votes were not elimination votes. Instead, the players who received votes would be eligible to be kidnapped by the opposing Blood tribe. Ben Watson, Khanh Ong, and KJ Austin each received votes, and KJ was kidnapped in the end. | |
| Heroes v Villains | 5 |  Gerry Geltch |
Sent to the Villains tribe for the next round. If Gerry survives whether by winning the next Immunity Challenge or surviving Tribal Council, he will have the decision to either stay with the Villains or return to the Heroes tribe the round after. |
| 12 |  Liz Parnov |
Instead of a regular vote, each tribe member would decide whether to mutiny to the Heroes by either leaving the parchment blank or writing their own name on the parchment. Only Liz opted to mutiny, so she automatically switched tribes. | |
| 20 |  Nina Twine |
The two castaways who received the most votes at Tribal Council would be sent to Survivor Isolation, living away from the rest of the tribe. They will only be given whatever food and supplies the tribe decides to offer them, and will be ineligible to compete in the upcoming Immunity Challenge. | |
Gerry Geltch | |||
| Titans v Rebels | 5 |  Kelli Harris |
Sent to sabotage the Titans tribe for the next round. If Kelli manages to prevent the Titans from winning the next Immunity Challenge, she will return to the Rebels before the next Tribal Council. Otherwise, she will remain with the Titans permanently. |
| 11 |  Alex Coe |
Before the votes were cast, it was announced that the votes would not be elimination votes. Instead, the players who received votes would draw rocks to decide who would be permanently switched to the other tribe. | |
| Brains v Brawn II | 5 |  Rich Hughes |
Before the votes were cast, it was announced that the votes would not be elimination votes. Instead, the player who received the most votes would be permanently switched to the other tribe. |
| 11 |  Zara Callianiotis |
Before the votes were cast, it was announced that the votes would not be elimination votes. Instead, the player who received the most votes would be permanently switched to the other tribe. | |
| 16 |  Paulie Michael |
Prior to the vote, the tribe learned that they would be divided into two temporary teams: Barren and Bounty. The two castaways who received the most votes at Tribal Council would join the Barren tribe and be forced to live in destitution; they would then be joined by four other tribe members as determined by lottery. | |
 Logan Johannisen |
Quebec
| Season | Episode/Cycle | Received Most Votes |
Non-Elimination Twist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor Québec (2023) | 13 |  Sylvain Béland |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe. |
| Survivor Québec (2024) | 11 |  Desneiges Paquin |
Sent to the Bayani tribe for the next round. If Desneiges survives whether by winning the next Immunity Challenge or surviving Tribal Council, she will have the decision to either stay with Bayani or return to the Nawa tribe the round after. |
| Survivor Québec (2025) | 13 |  Kevin Dubé |
Sent permanently to a new tribe. |
South Africa
| Season | Episode | Received Most Votes |
Non-Elimination Twist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama | 3 |  Nico Hinis |
After the votes were read, it was revealed that the person with the most votes would automatically receive an elimination vote at their next Tribal Council. |
| 5 |  Danielle Vukic |
After the votes were read, it was revealed that Danielle would be taking Sanele's place on Aguila after he was medically evacuated for his shoulder. | |
| Philippines | 6 |  Josie Eveleigh |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe, with the option to choose a former tribemate to swap along with them. |
 Annalize Sainsbury |
United Kingdom
| Season | Episode | Received Most Votes |
Non-Elimination Twist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor U.K. (2023) | 4 |  Leilani Sen |
Sent permanently to the opposite tribe. |
Trivia
- Gerry Geltch has received the most votes at two separate mock votes.
- Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders (2018) is the only season to not have a pre-merge mock vote. It is thus also the only season to not use the mock vote as a tribe switch mechanic.
- Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains is the season with the latest mock vote; its third mock vote took place on Day 40 in its twentieth episode.
References