According to Brant Gardner, Alma 2:5-7 represents the best example we have of how the "voice of the people" worked:
(1) The first important facet was the assembling into bodies: "the people assembled themselves together throughout all the land, every man according to his mind, whether it were for or against [the matter], in separate bodies . . ."
(2) Once gathered together into a body, the two opposing bodies had "much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another."
(3) After much debate, they "cast in their voices concerning the matter; and they were laid before the judges."
(4) The decision would be proclaimed to the people.
One should realize here that if the "voice of the people" were a democratic vote, then the majority would carry the day, and there would be no need to bring their vote before the judges. Thus the voice of the people functions as an indicator of the public opinion which the judges might perhaps ignore, but would do so knowing that they were perhaps going contrary to the will of the people. [Brant Gardner, "Book of Mormon Commentary," [http://www.highfiber.com/~nahualli/LDStopics/Alma/Alma2.htm], pp. 11-12]