Blockchain To Improve Election Transparency

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The use of blockchain in the public sector reached another milestone this month when West Virginia became the first U.S. state to allow internet voting by blockchain in primary elections. While the voter participation through this platform was estimated to be small, the intention of the administrators was to test the technology in a pilot project with no immediate plans to implement it at a larger scale. The idea of using blockchain for elections is worth more than just an experiment, however. Mobile voting using a safe and tested interface could eliminate voter fraud and boost turnout. It will make it more convenient for citizens to vote while abroad, irrespective of the distance and time. It is also a beneficial tool for the election commission to maintain transparency in the electoral process, minimize the cost of conducting elections, streamline the process of counting votes and ensure that all votes are counted. Under the technology that was used in the West Virginia elections, a voter’s identity is verified using biometric tools like a thumbprint scan before voting on a mobile device. Each vote forms part of a chain of votes, where it is mathematically proven by the third party participant. Using blockchain, all data of the election process can be recorded on a publicly verifiable ledger while maintaining the anonymity of voters, with results available instantly.

OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE FOR TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS
The use of blockchain in voting for elections can be further streamlined by using open source blockchain voting platforms. An open source platform does not have any proprietary elements to it, allowing any citizen or agency to audit the functionality of the application and contribute to improve its security. Rather, an open-source system is necessary to have a fool-proof election

Source : https://www.brookings.edu