What is it about?

We explore if blockchain technology can be effectively and safely used to create e-voting systems. The paper examines the pros and cons of e-voting, highlighting its potential to reduce costs, increase accessibility, and improve security compared to traditional paper-based methods. However, it also acknowledges the challenges of e-voting, such as ensuring anonymity, preventing fraud (like double voting), and gaining public trust. We examine existing e-voting applications worldwide, including those in Estonia, France, and the United Kingdom, and discusses their successes and failures. It then looks at how blockchain, known for its use in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, can address key security and transparency concerns in e-voting. Blockchain's decentralized nature, where records are distributed across multiple computers (nodes), makes it difficult to manipulate votes. The paper also investigates different blockchain-based voting projects, analyzing their features and how they aim to achieve secure and transparent voting.

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Why is it important?

This research is important because fair and trustworthy elections are the foundation of a democratic society. E-voting has the potential to make voting more accessible and potentially more secure, but it needs to overcome significant challenges to earn public trust. This paper investigates if blockchain technology can be the solution.

Perspectives

● Accessibility: The paper emphasizes the potential of e-voting to make voting more accessible, especially for people with disabilities and those living abroad. However, it doesn't address potential barriers for people with limited access to technology or digital literacy skills. Further research could explore ways to ensure inclusivity in blockchain-based e-voting systems. ● Environmental Impact: The paper mentions the high energy consumption of some blockchain consensus protocols, such as Proof-of-Work (PoW). As sustainability becomes increasingly important, exploring and implementing more energy-efficient consensus mechanisms, like Proof-of-Stake (PoS), will be crucial for the feasibility of large-scale blockchain-based e-voting. ● Regulation and Legal Frameworks: The paper focuses mainly on the technical aspects of blockchain-based e-voting. However, the legal and regulatory implications are significant. Clear guidelines and standards are necessary to ensure the legality, security, and auditability of blockchain-based elections.

Dr. Enis Karaarslan
Mugla Sitki Kocman Universitesi

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: A Survey on Feasibility and Suitability of Blockchain Techniques for the E-Voting Systems, IJARCCE, March 2018, Tejass Publisheers,
DOI: 10.17148/ijarcce.2018.7324.
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