The solvatochromic acid-base indicator 1-hexadecyl-4-[(oxocyclohexadienylidene)ethylene]-1,4-dihydropyridine (HOED) was used to determine surface potentials (Psi) of micelles formed from methyldiallyl-n-dodecylammonium salts containing different counterions (MDDAX, X(-) = Cl, Br, I, benzoate, salicylate). Psi decreased in the order Cl > Br > I > benzoate, salicylate consistent with conductometrically determined values for the counterion binding. HOED was also used to probe the microdomains formed in aqueous solutions of poly(dimethyldiallylammonium-co-methyl-n-decyldiallylammonium salts) containing different counterions (Copol C1-12 90/10 X). A similar dependence of Psi on the nature of the counterion was found. Raising the temperature led to higher values of Psi, while increasing the polysoap concentration appeared to lower the surface potentials for all polysoaps. With the exception of Copol C1-12 90/10 I and Sal, an additional peak in the UV-vis absorption spectrum of the probe was observed which was attributed to the aggregation of probe molecules on nondomain forming strains of the polysoap. Support for this conclusion was obtained from the observation that the intensity of the additional peak greatly decreased upon increasing the polysoap concentration. This behavior can be reconciled with the occurrence of a critical aggregation concentration. The sudden rise of the aggregation numbers of Copol C1-12 90/10 Br and benzoate at ca. 10 mM, leading to a constant value at higher concentrations, provides additional evidence for this conclusion.