Blockchain, consensus, and cryptography in electronic voting

Panagiotis Grontas,Aris Pagourtzis

doi:10.12681/homvir.20289

Abstract

Motivated by the recent trends to conduct electronic elections using blockchain technologies, we review the vast literature on cryptographic voting and assess the status of the field. We analyze the security requirements for voting systems and describe the major ideas behind the most influential cryptographic protocols for electronic voting. We focus on the great importance of consensus in the elimination of trusted third parties. Finally, we examine whether recent blockchain innovations can satisfy the strict requirements set for the security of electronic voting.

Highlights

Enfranchisement implies that voters trust the system to express their intent. Complex voting systems, such as the ones that are based in cryptography that we described in this paper, might succeed in implementing some or most of the requirements but mightfail to convince the voters, because they might be considered too complex to understand
An electronic voting Bulletin Board implemented as a blockchain, eliminates the need for a trusted third party to maintain the data needed to tally and audit an election
In theory, lead to truly decentralized elections where the voters themselves conduct the elections without any trusted parties to record, count and verify the votes

Summary

Introduction

An electronic voting Bulletin Board implemented as a blockchain, eliminates the need for a trusted third party to maintain the data needed to tally and audit an election It can in theory, lead to truly decentralized elections where the voters themselves conduct the elections without any trusted parties to record, count and verify the votes. In order to enable eligibility verifiability, there must be a protocol that determines the mapping between voter addresses and their real identities If it is executed by a registration authority, a trusted third party is introduced to the voting system and the use of the blockchain resembles the permissioned case. Opponents of such system might even take advantage of such misconceptions in order to cast doubt on these voting solutions

Conclusion

Findings

Notes on contributors