 <p>Correct way to solve this issue is as follows:</p> <pre><code>Template.DoPolls.helpers({ polls: function() { var user = Meteor.userId() return Polls.find({voters: {$ne: user}}); } }); </code></pre> <p>where $ne look over the voters array and if it finds the userId then doesn't show that poll.</p> <p>To achieve the opposite (so only polls where the user has voted the helper would be:</p> <pre><code>Template.PollsDone.helpers({ polls: function() { var user = Meteor.userId() return Polls.find({voters: {$in: [ user ] }}); } }); </code></pre>