diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 917a1d8..69d455a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ data/usermap.json
 data/wrank.json
 data/bringer.json
 data/attendance.json
+data/leaves.json
 data/sessionPreferences.json
 data/tg-history/
 
diff --git a/src/commands/tg.ts b/src/commands/tg.ts
index 25973b6..99d1718 100644
--- a/src/commands/tg.ts
+++ b/src/commands/tg.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import { handleCharSetNation } from "@subcommands/char/setNation";
 import { handleCharSetStats }  from "@subcommands/char/setStats";
 import { handleCharActive }    from "@subcommands/char/active";
 import { Nation }              from "@types";
+import { handleMarkLeft, handleUnmarkLeft } from "@subcommands/poll/mark-left";
 
 export function buildTgCommand(): SlashCommandBuilder {
   const cmd = new SlashCommandBuilder()
@@ -127,6 +128,16 @@ export function buildTgCommand(): SlashCommandBuilder {
       )
     .addSubcommand((s) => s.setName("purge").setDescription("Delete all bot messages from the poll channel"))
     .addSubcommand((s) => s.setName("seed").setDescription("Inject all registered players as Yes votes for layout testing"))
+    .addSubcommand((s) => s
+      .setName("mark-left")
+      .setDescription("Mark a character as having left TG")
+      .addStringOption((o) => o.setName("char_name").setDescription("Character name").setRequired(true).setAutocomplete(true))
+    )
+    .addSubcommand((s) => s
+      .setName("unmark-left")
+      .setDescription("Remove left mark from a character")
+      .addStringOption((o) => o.setName("char_name").setDescription("Character name").setRequired(true).setAutocomplete(true))
+    )
   );
 
   // ── score group ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -314,6 +325,8 @@ export async function handleTgCommand(interaction: ChatInputCommandInteraction):
     if (sub === "remove-vote")  return handleRemoveVote(interaction);
     if (sub === "purge")        return handlePurge(interaction);
     if (sub === "seed")         return handleSeed(interaction);
+    if (sub === "mark-left")   return handleMarkLeft(interaction);
+    if (sub === "unmark-left") return handleUnmarkLeft(interaction);
   }
   if (group === "score") {
     if (sub === "set") return handleScoreSet(interaction);
diff --git a/src/subcommands/poll/mark-left.ts b/src/subcommands/poll/mark-left.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf0272d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/subcommands/poll/mark-left.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { ChatInputCommandInteraction, TextChannel } from "discord.js";
+import { Config } from "@systems/config";
+import { resolveUser, hasOfficerRole } from "@systems/users";
+import { Leaves } from "@systems/leaves";
+import { polls, updatePollMessage } from "@systems/poll";
+import { CharacterRegistry } from "@registry/character-registry";
+import { replyAndDelete } from "@utils";
+
+function getCurrentHistoryKey(slot: number): string {
+  const date = new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10);
+  return `${date}-${slot}`;
+}
+
+export async function handleMarkLeft(interaction: ChatInputCommandInteraction): Promise<void> {
+  const member = await interaction.guild!.members.fetch(interaction.user.id);
+  if (!hasOfficerRole(member, Config.get({ section: "roles", key: "officer" }))) {
+    return void replyAndDelete(interaction, "❌ Only officers can mark characters as left.", true);
+  }
+
+  const charName = interaction.options.getString("char_name", true);
+  const officer  = await resolveUser(member);
+
+  // Find character and its owner
+  const char = CharacterRegistry.find(charName);
+  if (!char) return void replyAndDelete(interaction, `❌ Character **${charName}** not found.`, true);
+
+  const slot = [...polls.keys()][0];
+  if (slot === undefined) return void replyAndDelete(interaction, "❌ No active poll.", true);
+
+  const historyKey = getCurrentHistoryKey(slot);
+
+  Leaves.mark({
+    characterName: char.name,
+    ownerKey:      char.ownerKey,
+    historyKey,
+    markedBy:      officer.userKey ?? "unknown",
+  });
+
+  const channel = interaction.channel as TextChannel;
+  await updatePollMessage(channel, slot);
+
+  const count = Leaves.countForChar({ characterName: char.name });
+  return void replyAndDelete(interaction,
+    `🪲 **${char.name}** marked as left (total leaves: ${count}).`,
+    true
+  );
+}
+
+export async function handleUnmarkLeft(interaction: ChatInputCommandInteraction): Promise<void> {
+  const member = await interaction.guild!.members.fetch(interaction.user.id);
+  if (!hasOfficerRole(member, Config.get({ section: "roles", key: "officer" }))) {
+    return void replyAndDelete(interaction, "❌ Only officers can unmark characters.", true);
+  }
+
+  const charName = interaction.options.getString("char_name", true);
+  const char     = CharacterRegistry.find(charName);
+  if (!char) return void replyAndDelete(interaction, `❌ Character **${charName}** not found.`, true);
+
+  const slot = [...polls.keys()][0];
+  if (slot === undefined) return void replyAndDelete(interaction, "❌ No active poll.", true);
+
+  const historyKey = getCurrentHistoryKey(slot);
+  Leaves.unmark({ characterName: char.name, historyKey });
+
+  const channel = interaction.channel as TextChannel;
+  await updatePollMessage(channel, slot);
+
+  return void replyAndDelete(interaction, `✅ Removed left mark from **${char.name}**.`, true);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/systems/leaves.ts b/src/systems/leaves.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..939ff93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/systems/leaves.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/**
+ * Leaves — tracks characters who left TG mid-game.
+ *
+ * Keyed by characterName — leaving is a character action, not a user action.
+ * User-level stats are derived by aggregating across all characters owned by a user.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ *   import { Leaves } from "@systems/leaves";
+ *
+ *   Leaves.mark({ characterName, historyKey, markedBy })
+ *   Leaves.unmark({ characterName, historyKey })
+ *   Leaves.hasLeft({ characterName, historyKey })
+ *   Leaves.countForChar({ characterName })
+ *   Leaves.countForUser({ userKey })
+ *   Leaves.formatIndicator({ characterName })
+ */
+
+ import { UserKey, CharName, HistoryKey } from "@types";
+ import { Store } from "@systems/store";
+ import { Paths } from "@paths";
+ import { Emoji } from "@systems/emojis";
+ import { Runtime } from "@systems/runtime";
+ 
+ Runtime.phase("load", () => Leaves.load(), { name: "Leaves.load" });
+ 
+ // ─── Types ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ 
+ interface LeaveRecord {
+   historyKey: HistoryKey;
+   markedBy:   UserKey;
+   markedAt:   string;
+ }
+ 
+ interface CharacterLeaves {
+   characterName: CharName;
+   ownerKey:      UserKey;
+   count:         number;
+   history:       LeaveRecord[];
+ }
+ 
+ interface LeavesData {
+   [characterName: CharName]: CharacterLeaves;
+ }
+ 
+ // ─── State ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ 
+ let _data: LeavesData = {};
+ 
+ // ─── Namespace ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+ 
+ export const Leaves = {
+   load(): void {
+     _data = Store.readOrDefault<LeavesData>(Paths.data("leaves.json"), {});
+   },
+ 
+   save(): void {
+     Store.write(Paths.data("leaves.json"), _data);
+   },
+ 
+   mark({ characterName, ownerKey, historyKey, markedBy }: {
+     characterName: CharName;
+     ownerKey:      UserKey;
+     historyKey:    HistoryKey;
+     markedBy:      UserKey;
+   }): void {
+     if (!_data[characterName]) {
+       _data[characterName] = { characterName, ownerKey, count: 0, history: [] };
+     }
+     const char = _data[characterName];
+     if (char.history.some((r) => r.historyKey === historyKey)) return; // already marked
+     char.history.push({ historyKey, markedBy, markedAt: new Date().toISOString() });
+     char.count = char.history.length;
+     Leaves.save();
+   },
+ 
+   unmark({ characterName, historyKey }: {
+     characterName: CharName;
+     historyKey:    HistoryKey;
+   }): void {
+     if (!_data[characterName]) return;
+     _data[characterName].history = _data[characterName].history.filter(
+       (r) => r.historyKey !== historyKey
+     );
+     _data[characterName].count = _data[characterName].history.length;
+     Leaves.save();
+   },
+ 
+   hasLeft({ characterName, historyKey }: {
+     characterName: CharName;
+     historyKey:    HistoryKey;
+   }): boolean {
+     return _data[characterName]?.history.some((r) => r.historyKey === historyKey) ?? false;
+   },
+ 
+   /** Total leaves for a specific character */
+   countForChar({ characterName }: { characterName: CharName }): number {
+     return _data[characterName]?.count ?? 0;
+   },
+ 
+   /** Total leaves across all characters owned by a user */
+   countForUser({ userKey }: { userKey: UserKey }): number {
+     return Object.values(_data)
+       .filter((c) => c.ownerKey === userKey)
+       .reduce((sum, c) => sum + c.count, 0);
+   },
+ 
+   historyForChar({ characterName }: { characterName: CharName }): LeaveRecord[] {
+     return _data[characterName]?.history ?? [];
+   },
+ 
+   historyForUser({ userKey }: { userKey: UserKey }): { characterName: CharName; record: LeaveRecord }[] {
+     const result: { characterName: CharName; record: LeaveRecord }[] = [];
+     for (const [charName, data] of Object.entries(_data)) {
+       if (data.ownerKey !== userKey) continue;
+       for (const record of data.history) {
+         result.push({ characterName: charName, record });
+       }
+     }
+     return result.sort((a, b) => a.record.markedAt.localeCompare(b.record.markedAt));
+   },
+ 
+   /**
+    * Format the leave indicator for display in the poll.
+    * Output: <:cockroach:> <:wrank_3:>  (count = total times this character left)
+    */
+   formatIndicator({ characterName }: { characterName: CharName }): string {
+     const count     = Leaves.countForChar({ characterName });
+     const cockroach = Emoji.get("cockroach") || "🪳"; //"🪲";
+     const countEmoji = Emoji.get(`wrank_${count}`) || `${count}`;
+     return `${cockroach}${countEmoji}`;
+   },
+ };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ui/poll/layouts/default.ts b/src/ui/poll/layouts/default.ts
index dc0b712..2fbabad 100644
--- a/src/ui/poll/layouts/default.ts
+++ b/src/ui/poll/layouts/default.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  import { Emoji } from "@systems/emojis";
  import { format } from "@format";
  import { PollLayout, PollRowContext, PollEmbedOptions } from "@ui/types";
+ import { Leaves } from "@systems/leaves";
  
  // ─── Row formatting ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  
@@ -56,6 +57,12 @@
        row += ` · ${format.bringer(nation)}`;
      }
    }
+
+   if (entry.userKey && context.historyKey) {
+    if (Leaves.hasLeft({ userKey: entry.userKey, historyKey: context.historyKey })) {
+      row += ` ${Leaves.formatIndicator({ userKey: entry.userKey })}`;
+    }
+  }
  
    if (entry.borrowedFrom) row += ` ${Emoji.get("borrowed") || "🔗"}`;
    if (context.showNationEmoji && nation) row = `${Emoji.nation(nation)} ${row}`;
@@ -66,7 +73,7 @@
  function buildContext(
    entries: VoteEntry[],
    nation: Nation,
-   options?: { showNationEmoji?: boolean }
+   options?: { showNationEmoji?: boolean; historyKey?: string }
  ): PollRowContext {
    const nationHasRank = entries.some((e) =>
      e.characterName && WRank.entry(e.characterName, nation) !== null
@@ -76,10 +83,11 @@
      return wr?.previousRank !== undefined;
    });
    return {
-     nationHasRank,
-     nationHasDelta,
-     showNationEmoji: options?.showNationEmoji ?? false,
-   };
+    nationHasRank,
+    nationHasDelta,
+    showNationEmoji: options?.showNationEmoji ?? false,
+    historyKey:      options?.historyKey,
+  };
  }
  
  // ─── Embed building ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/src/ui/poll/layouts/side-by-side.ts b/src/ui/poll/layouts/side-by-side.ts
index e1febf2..ebb44f1 100644
--- a/src/ui/poll/layouts/side-by-side.ts
+++ b/src/ui/poll/layouts/side-by-side.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  import { Emoji } from "@systems/emojis";
  import { format } from "@format";
  import { PollLayout, PollRowContext, PollEmbedOptions } from "@ui/types";
+ import { Leaves } from "@systems/leaves";
  
  // ─── Row formatting (same as default) ────────────────────────────────────────
  
@@ -49,6 +50,12 @@
        row += ` · ${format.bringer(nation)}`;
      }
    }
+
+   if (entry.userKey && entry.characterName && context.historyKey) {
+    if (Leaves.hasLeft({ characterName: entry.characterName, historyKey: context.historyKey })) {
+      row += ` ${Leaves.formatIndicator({ characterName: entry.characterName })}`;
+    }
+  }
  
    if (entry.borrowedFrom) row += ` ${Emoji.get("borrowed") || "🔗"}`;
    if (context.showNationEmoji && nation) row = `${Emoji.nation(nation)} ${row}`;
@@ -58,14 +65,19 @@
  function buildContext(
    entries: VoteEntry[],
    nation: Nation,
-   options?: { showNationEmoji?: boolean }
+   options?: { showNationEmoji?: boolean; historyKey?: string }
  ): PollRowContext {
    const nationHasRank  = entries.some((e) => e.characterName && WRank.entry(e.characterName, nation) !== null);
    const nationHasDelta = entries.some((e) => {
      const wr = e.characterName ? WRank.entry(e.characterName, nation) : null;
      return wr?.previousRank !== undefined;
    });
-   return { nationHasRank, nationHasDelta, showNationEmoji: options?.showNationEmoji ?? false };
+   return {
+    nationHasRank,
+    nationHasDelta,
+    showNationEmoji: options?.showNationEmoji ?? false,
+    historyKey:      options?.historyKey,
+  };
  }
  
  // ─── Embed building ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -74,9 +86,10 @@
    nation: Nation,
    yesEntries: VoteEntry[],
    noVoters: VoteEntry[],
-   showNoInline: boolean
+   showNoInline: boolean,
+   historyKey?: string
  ): string {
-   const context   = buildContext(yesEntries, nation);
+   const context   = buildContext(yesEntries, nation, { historyKey });
    const noEntries = showNoInline ? noVoters.filter((e) => e.characterNation === nation) : [];
    const lines = [
      ...yesEntries.map((e) => formatRow(e, context)),
@@ -119,6 +132,8 @@
    const capellaEmoji = Emoji.get("capella");
    const procyonEmoji = Emoji.get("procyon");
  
+   const historyKey = `${new Date().toISOString().slice(0, 10)}-${state.slot}`;
+
    // Title
    const counts = !state.locked && state.confirmed === null
      ? `  ${capellaEmoji} ${yesByNation[Nation.Capella].length}  ${procyonEmoji} ${yesByNation[Nation.Procyon].length}`
@@ -141,12 +156,12 @@
        // ← inline: true makes them side by side
        {
          name:   `${capellaEmoji} Capella (${yesByNation[Nation.Capella].length})`,
-         value:  formatNationField(Nation.Capella, yesByNation[Nation.Capella], noVoters, showNoInline),
+         value:  formatNationField(Nation.Capella, yesByNation[Nation.Capella], noVoters, showNoInline, historyKey),
          inline: true,
        },
        {
          name:   `${procyonEmoji} Procyon (${yesByNation[Nation.Procyon].length})`,
-         value:  formatNationField(Nation.Procyon, yesByNation[Nation.Procyon], noVoters, showNoInline),
+         value:  formatNationField(Nation.Procyon, yesByNation[Nation.Procyon], noVoters, showNoInline, historyKey),
          inline: true,
        },
      )
diff --git a/src/ui/types.ts b/src/ui/types.ts
index 77eda5c..5ee58e2 100644
--- a/src/ui/types.ts
+++ b/src/ui/types.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
  // ─── Poll ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  
  export interface PollRowContext {
-   nationHasRank:   boolean;
-   nationHasDelta:  boolean;
-   showNationEmoji?: boolean;
+   nationHasRank:     boolean;
+   nationHasDelta:    boolean;
+   showNationEmoji?:  boolean;
+   historyKey?:       string
  }
  
  export interface PollEmbedOptions {