Votano sulla questione.

Votano is the third-person plural present tense of votare, meaning to vote.

So:

• io voto = I vote
• tu voti = you vote
• lui/lei vota = he/she votes
• loro votano = they vote

In this sentence, votano means they vote or they are voting, depending on context.

Italian often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Here, -ano tells you the subject is they. So:

• Votano sulla questione. = They vote / are voting on the issue.
• Loro votano sulla questione. is also possible, but it usually adds emphasis, such as they are the ones voting.

Sulla means on the here.

It is made from:

• su = on, about, over
• la = the

So:

• su + la = sulla

In votare su qualcosa, su is the normal preposition used for voting on a topic, proposal, issue, etc.

In Italian, it is very common to use the definite article where English may or may not use one.

So sulla questione literally means on the issue.
Saying su questione would sound incomplete or unnatural in standard Italian.

The article is part of the normal structure here:

• votare sulla proposta = to vote on the proposal
• votare sulla legge = to vote on the law
• votare sulla questione = to vote on the issue

It can mean either one.

Italian present tense often covers both:

• they vote
• they are voting

The exact meaning depends on context.

For example:

• Ogni anno votano sulla questione. = They vote on the issue every year.
• In questo momento votano sulla questione. = They are voting on the issue right now.

This is a very common point of confusion.

• questione usually means issue, matter, or question in the sense of a topic under discussion
• domanda means question in the sense of something you ask

So in Votano sulla questione, questione means issue/matter, not a spoken question.

Examples:

• Ho una domanda. = I have a question.
• È una questione importante. = It is an important issue.

Yes. Votare su is a standard and natural way to say to vote on a subject.

Examples:

• Votano sul bilancio. = They are voting on the budget.
• Abbiamo votato sulla proposta. = We voted on the proposal.

You may also see other related structures, such as:

• votare per qualcuno = to vote for someone
• votare contro qualcosa = to vote against something

So the preposition changes depending on the meaning.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

VO-ta-no SUL-la kwe-STYO-ne

A few details:

• votano has stress on VO
• sulla has a clear double ll, so hold the l slightly longer
• questione is pronounced roughly kwe-STYO-ne

The qu in questione sounds like kw.

This is a very normal Italian word order:

• verb + prepositional phrase

Italian often allows flexible word order, but this version is neutral and natural.

Other orders are possible for emphasis:

• Sulla questione votano domani. = On the issue, they vote tomorrow.
• Loro votano sulla questione. = They vote on the issue, with emphasis on they.

So the original sentence is a simple, standard structure.

Yes, depending on context.

Questione can mean:

• issue
• matter
• question in the sense of a topic or problem

So sulla questione could be understood as:

• on the issue
• on the matter

The best English choice depends on the broader situation.

It is neutral and works in many contexts.

Nothing in Votano sulla questione is especially informal or especially formal. It could appear in:

• news writing
• political discussion
• ordinary conversation
• written summaries

Its tone depends mostly on the surrounding context, not on the grammar itself.