Conclusion - Gattenjo

…In medieval temples, the nenyo (chief of the year) who managed the affairs of temples were elected, and the elector would put a dot next to the name of the person voting for them, and the person with the most dots would be elected. This is called a goten-jo. In the “Teijo Zakki,” it appears that “putting a dot on a circular letter is also a goten,” but in the circular letters of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in the requests and enquiries of temples, the character “uketamawaru” is added to express understanding. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "joint letter" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…中世の寺院で事務を司どった年預（ねんよ）などは選挙で選ばれるが，選挙人は投票をする人の名前に合点を付し，その数が多い人が当選となる。これを合点状という。《貞丈雑記》には，〈廻状などに点をかくるも合点也〉とみえるが，文殿や使庁の廻文，寺院の請定（しようじよう）や廻請（かいじよう）で了解の意味をあらわすには〈奉（うけたまわる）〉という字を入れる。…

※「合点状」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報