Blockchain Voting Eligibility and Immutable Ballot Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is growing distrust in U.S. election results due to the patchwork of laws and allegations of fraud, necessitating a secure infrastructure for reliable voting information.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for secure electronic voting that includes authenticating voters, determining eligibility using prestored information, generating unique ballots, and storing selections on blockchains to ensure legitimacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional voting systems are used, then existing infrastructure can be maintained, but trust in election results deteriorates due to patchwork laws and fraud allegations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces blockchain technology as an intermediary layer between the voting system and voters. The blockchain serves as a neutral, decentralized mediator that records votes immutably, allowing verification of election integrity without requiring voters to trust any single central authority or government entity.
Solution Approach 2:
The voting system is segmented into distinct functional components: voter authentication module, vote casting module, blockchain integration module, and result verification module. This segmentation allows each component to be independently secured and verified, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If secure voting infrastructure is implemented, then fraud concerns are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates cryptographic copies of voter identities and vote selections that are stored on the blockchain. These digital copies serve as immutable records that can be verified without exposing sensitive information, reducing fraud concerns while maintaining a manageable system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical voting systems (physical ballots, paper records, manual counting) are replaced with cryptographic and blockchain-based digital systems. This substitution eliminates physical vulnerabilities while the modular software architecture keeps system complexity manageable.
3Speed
If voter information is prestored for authentication, then voting speed is improved, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential authentication elements (cryptographic keys, voter identifiers) needed for quick verification, while storing comprehensive voter information securely in encrypted form. This extraction allows fast authentication without compromising the security of complete voter data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state of voter information from plaintext to encrypted form, and from centralized storage to distributed blockchain storage. These parameter changes enable both rapid authentication (through cryptographic verification) and enhanced security (through encryption and decentralization).
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing a determination of voter eligibility and facilitation of secure electronic voting is provided. The method includes authenticating a voter according to security setting and displaying a voting page for a jurisdiction corresponding to the voter's residence. The method then transmits to an adjudicating entity, voter information for determination of voter eligibility, and stores the voter information in a non-public blockchain. The method further includes determining whether the voter is eligible to vote based on the voter information stored in the non-public blockchain, generating a unique voter specific ballot for the voter in response to a determination that the voter is eligible to vote, and transmitting, to the adjudicating entity, a ballot selection received from the voter. The ballot selection is then stored on a public blockchain, and made available for release.