Blockchain In Voting Systems - Uses, Benefits And Challenges
Voters cannot be certain that their votes are accurately recorded in elections, leading to a lack of transparency. Implementing blockchain in voting systems eliminates the necessity for printing ballot papers or establishing physical polling stations, allowing voters to cast their ballots from any location with an Internet connection.
Author:James PierceReviewer:Camilo WoodFeb 19, 20241.6K Shares71.8K Views
It has been hard for a long time to make a safe electronic voting system that works like the current voting systems in terms of fairness and privacy while also being open and flexible like electronic systems. We look at one way that blockchain can be used as a service to set up distributed electronic voting systems in this work-in-progress study.
The paper suggests a new electronic voting system based on blockchain that fixes some of the problems with current systems. It also looks at some of the most famous blockchain frameworks for building a Blockchain in voting systems.
Specifically, look at the possibilities of distributed ledger technologies by describing a case study: the process of an election and the use of a blockchain-based app to make it safer and cheaper to hold an election across the whole country.
What Is Online Voting?
An "online voting system," which is also called "Internet voting," is a piece of software that lets groups safely hold elections and votes from afar. People use computers to help them cast their votes during an election. High-level online voting systems make sure that the general security of the ballot is balanced and that recorded data can be accessed and can't be changed.
Even in voting methods that aren't completely electronic, computers are often used to record votes, count them, and make the ballots. When used in a strict sense, electronic voting is a method used in modern elections in which the first step, "ballot composition," is done with a computer.
Because of worries about security and access, most large-scale electronic voting takes place in designated precincts using machines made just for that purpose. Electronic voting, or e-voting, is this way of voting. Most electronic voting machines fall into two main groups: direct recording electronic (DRE) machines and optical scanning machines.
A standard DRE is made up of a computer and a touch screen. People can see their votes on a touch screen and then choose what they want to do with them. The touchscreen display can help the voter in many ways, such as by showing large fonts and high contrast for people who have trouble seeing, letting the voter know when someone undervotes, and stopping people from voting too many times.
How Blockchain Voting Works?
Blockchain voting, also known as decentralized voting, could help solve many issues, such as stopping voter fraud and making sure all votes are counted. This is possible in part because of how blockchain technology saves and sends data.
Blockchain is naturally safe and makes sure that original information can't be changed. It acts as a single source of truth and a way to keep track of all the data that is recorded. When it comes to voting, this could mean the chance for votes that aren't changed, voting that is open and clear, easier access to voting online, and better organization of voting operations.
Use Of Blockchain In Electronic Voting
- Security - Cryptography is used by the the blockchain to protect the data that is saved on the network. Every vote is encrypted and tied to the one before it, making a chain of blocks. This makes it very hard for bad people to change their voting information without being caught.
- Immutability - It is almost impossible to change or remove a vote once it is recorded on the blockchain. This inability to be changed protects the purity of the voting process by stopping anyone from making changes to the voting data without permission.
- Decentralization- There isn't just one place where things can go wrong or be controlled with blockchain-based vote systems. Since the vote information is spread across many nodes in the network, there is less chance of hacking or manipulation.
- Accessibility - Electronic voting systems that use blockchain technology might make it easier for people to vote, especially those who can't physically go to election places. With an internet-connected computer or phone, a voter can cast their ballot from anywhere.
- Reduced Costs and Time - Using electronic voting systems based on the blockchain could cut down on the costs of standard voting methods, like printing ballots and staffing polling places. It can also make voting easier, which means results come in faster and with fewer mistakes.
Benefits Of Blockchain In Electronic Voting
Blockchain makes computer voting better in many ways:
Convenience
Using old-fashioned ways to vote usually means waiting in long lines, doing things by hand, and spending a lot of time and energy.
Blockchain technology, on the other hand, provides a solution that can't be changed, protecting personal information while letting voters cast their votes online or on their phones. In Estonia, for example, people can use a safe voting app to cast their ballots before the election, which saves time and effort for everyone.
Enhanced Security And Data Integrity
Using blockchain makes sure that votes are kept safely and encrypted, so they can't be changed or tampered with. Because blockchain is decentralized, there is no chance of a single point of failure.
This makes it very hard for bad people to break into the system. Each vote is cryptographically linked to the one before it, making a safe chain that keeps the voting data secure.
Transparent And Immutable Record-Keeping
Blockchain creates a public ledger where all events, like votes, are recorded and can be seen by everyone. This openness builds trust in the voting process by letting people check their ballots and making sure that the final count stays correct.
Additionally, because blockchain is immutable, once a vote is recorded, it can't be changed or deleted. This makes the voting method even more honest and dependable.
Improved Traceability And Verification
Blockchain technology makes it possible to track votes through the election process. It is easy to keep track of each vote from the time it is cast until the final count because each one is timestamped and linked to a unique number.
This makes the verification process better because it lets both authorities and voters check that each vote is real and valid without having to depend on a central authority. Using cryptography also makes sure that only approved people can see and check the voting information, which increases trust and safety in the voting process as a whole.
Trust Increasing
More and more people trust voting online. A lot of people think that improvements in digital technology should be made to the voting process as well.
This is in line with how blockchain technology works, which ensures openness while protecting people's privacy. Users can be sure that their votes will be counted and that the process will be clear.
Challenges Of The Traditional Voting Systems
- Worries about safety- Fraud, tampering, and hacking can happen with traditional methods. People accessing or altering paper ballots without permission can jeopardize the validity of votes.
- Human error - There can be mistakes and flaws when counting votes by hand. Election results can be contested if ballots are lost or counted incorrectly.
- Inefficiency- Using old-fashioned ways to vote often requires a lot of physical work, which can take a long time and cost a lot of money. The election results may not be released right away because of the time it takes to count paper votes and keep physical records.
- Limited accessibility - Some people may have trouble getting to voting places because they are physically disabled or in a remote area. This could make people lose their right to vote.
- Voter verification- In traditional methods, it can be hard to make sure that voters are who they say they are. It's not easy to make sure that each voter only casts one ticket.
- Transparency- In traditional systems, the process of counting votes may not be clear, which can lead to accusations of unfairness or fraud.
- Cost - Election officials may have to pay a lot of money to print paper ballots, set up voting places, and hire people to count votes by hand.
- Limited voting options- Paper-based systems might not let you vote in a variety of ways, like early voting or postal ballots, which can make voting harder for some people.
To deal with these problems, a lot of places are looking into how to update their voting systems by combining blockchain technology with computer voting systems.
Real-World Implementations And Case Studies
Real-life cases show how blockchain could be used in electronic voting:
Voatz
Blockchain technology powers a mobile voting tool that Voatz offers. A one-phone, one-vote rule and fingerprint recognition are the three steps that make their voting method safe: live photo verification, one-phone, and one-vote.
After making sure someone is eligible by checking their driver's license, people cast their ballots by giving tokens to the candidates they want to vote for. These tokens are taken away from the public ledger of the voter and added to the public ledgers of the candidates.
The winner of the poll is the person who gets the most tokens. Voatz is changing what it means to vote safely and easily by using blockchain to make the voting process more open and efficient.
Follow My Vote
Open-source blockchain technology is used by Follow My Vote to create a revolutionary online voting tool. People who are running for office can vote from anywhere with a webcam and a legal voter ID. The app gives each voter a unique ID that can't be copied.
To keep up with how elections are changing, Follow My Vote lets people change their minds right up until the very last second before the deadline. Using blockchain, the company makes sure that poll results can be seen in real-time, which promotes openness and speeds up the whole process.
Votem Corp
With the help of their blockchain-based CastIron Platform, Votem Corp. releases a complete set of tools for managing elections. Their software gives users of both desktop and mobile devices many choices, which makes voting easier and faster.
Depending on their tastes and needs, users can sign up to vote, mark their ballots ahead of time, vote from afar, and even make their own full online voting system.
Estonia's E-Governance System
Estonia is known for having a very advanced e-governance system that lets people do almost all of their government business online, like voting and looking at their medical records.
This method cuts down on red tape and costs while increasing efficiency, openness, and accessibility. Other countries that want to update their government systems can learn from Estonia's success.
West Virginia's Pilot Program
West Virginia started a trial program for blockchain-based mobile voting to make it easier for military members to vote while they are deployed.
Even though there are some worries about safety and access, this project is an original way to improve democratic participation, especially for groups that are far away or on the outside. Analyzing the results will teach us a lot about how to improve elections in the future.
Other Promising Initiatives
A lot of other good ideas are being tried all over the world to use technology to make government work better and include everyone. Kenya's Huduma digital platform for citizen services and Singapore's Smart Nation project, which uses data and technology to make city life better, are two examples.
There are a lot of different ways to use technology for government in these projects. They show how innovation can help solve problems and make public services better around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can We Use Blockchain For Voting?
Yes, blockchain can be used for secure and transparent voting systems.
How Can Blockchain Be Used In Politics?
Blockchain can be used in politics for transparent campaign financing and to secure digital identities.
Which Governments Are Using Blockchain?
Some governments exploring blockchain include Estonia, Switzerland, and Dubai.
What Is The Application Of Blockchain?
Applications of blockchain include supply chain management, digital currencies, and decentralized finance.
Conclusion
Together with smart contracts, the blockchain makes it possible to build e-voting systems that are safer, cheaper, more private, open, and easy for people to use. Ethereum and its network are some of the best tools for Blockchain in voting systems because they are reliable, are used by a lot of people, and offer smart contract logic.
James Pierce
Author
Camilo Wood
Reviewer
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