Blockchain can be a better alternative than centralized systems for doing things that require some kind of secrecy for their operativity. But, due to the disruptive nature of blockchain, many people are still resisting to adopt it for more than just cryptocurrencies. Still, there are interesting use cases all over the world by serious companies and states that look to use decentralized tech for solving real everyday problems. This is the case of the state of West Virginia, that has decided to adopt a blockchain based system to permit officials and naturals abroad to exercise their voting rights the through internet.
West Virginia had announced earlier this year that they were testing the system in a much smaller scale to see how it performed and if it was possible to use it on a real election, and it seems that the tests were satisfactory, because they have approved its use for next November ballotage. The move that fueled this initiative was the experience that the state secretary, Mac Warner, had between 2012 and 2014 when he was in Afghanistan and was unable to vote in those elections. this motivated him to find a way for people and officers abroad to participate in elections through the use of technology.
As inclusive and revolutionary as it might seem, this initiative has faced tremendous opposition and criticism because of the use of the internet as a vehicle to transport the ballotage data, a thing that is always controversial due to the possible manipulation of the voting data. The company that was selected to design and apply this resolution, Boston based startup Voatz, has implemented the voting system with a mobile app that requires documents such as an id and the person fingerprint to allow them to vote. But even this approach has its flaws.
The problem with this kind of voting system is that even with all the security systems applied, there is still the possibility of fraud. And because the id of the voter is linked to the app and the vote, it is highly possible to be able to find out who voted for which candidate, a clear violation of voting secrecy. This time it is expected for more than 800 people to vote using the android app, as more counties were allowed to enter the test. If this test is also positive, West Virginia could become the first state to legalize remote voting through a blockchain based app. Another excellent and use case for decentralized technology.
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