Blockchain’s coming of age: Democratizing democracies

Eli Ben-Sasson writes that one in five elections held globally in the last four years has ended in one of the losing candidates or parties rejecting the results. As today’s (5 November) closely fought US election takes place, the integrity of the voting system will inevitably be thrust into the spotlight. Allegations over the validity of Joe Biden’s victory in 2020 remain fresh in the public mind. And as the stark statistic reveals, elections across the world have also been blighted by claims of irregularities, allegations of tampering and dishonesty.

This has fueled a growing fatigue and distrust in democratic systems. Global voter turnout plummeted by around 10 per cent in the fifteen years before 2023. The feeling is palpable, especially among younger generations, that the democratic process is distant, lacks relevancy or quite simply cannot be trusted. For subscribers to this mindset, a flawed voting system is the proof that democracy is indeed outdated, something of a busted flush.

It is a complex problem requiring multi-faceted answers, that reach across and beyond the political sphere. This includes my domain of geeky computer science, where blockchain is one of the world’s most misunderstood technologies. Yet, blockchain can spearhead the restoration of faith in the democratic voting process.  

To many, blockchain is synonymous with cryptocurrency, accompanied by a large dose of dismissive skepticism. Indeed, it is almost exactly sixteen years since the pseudonym Satoshi Nakomoto published his landmark Bitcoin white paper, regarded as the ‘birth’ of blockchain. Yet, cryptocurrency represents just a fragment of blockchain’s mighty capabilities and is far from its’ most interesting use.

Essentially, blockchain is a ledger for storing any information, not just currency. All items of information must balance before the ledger can be considered correct. It is this principle, which ensures that nobody can own the same Bitcoin. But it can be harnessed for so much more. Namely, blockchain voting requires that the votes cast must balance with the number of enrolled voters and their registered voting location.

Crucially, blockchain creates a record which is incorruptible. Cryptographic proofs are made available to anyone and everyone, demonstrating the accuracy of every calculation. All blockchain transactions (or votes) require the consensus of users, bringing true power to the people. Imagine no longer entrusting your vote to a faceless, invisible third party. Instead, candidates, political parties and voters could observe the process, ensuring that votes cast tally with the registered electorate. Blockchain voting can lay to rest the damaging suspicions of voter fraud and malpractice.

Crucially, this scenario is no pipe dream. The infrastructure is already in place. My company StarkWare, has developed Snapshot X, a blockchain voting protocol. While sceptics will point to the notoriously high cost of blockchain voting, Snapshot X was successfully battle-tested last month as the first low-cost blockchain vote, in a ballot of Starkware users. Quite clearly, this is a very early form of the technology required, and a world away from a national vote. Technical challenges lie ahead to refine and develop a protocol like Snapshot X.  Nonetheless, it is proof of concept. It is evidence that blockchain voting can be done seamlessly and successfully. In other words, it works.

For centuries, central banks have asked people to unquestioningly hand over their money – More and more people are wondering if this remains the best guarantor of their wealth. For some time, blockchain has provided an alternative via cryptocurrencies, potentially democratizing money itself. Similarly, central authorities have always administered elections, unquestioningly requesting the electorate hand over their treasured votes – More and more people are wondering if this remains the best guarantor of fair elections. Here too, blockchain can be the much-needed disruptor, making elections truly democratic, reinvigorating democracy itself.

There are significant added bonuses too. Blockchain voting can take just seconds, via a secure app from the comfort of home. Such convenience can surely only boost faltering voter participation.

I am convinced that the obstacle to deploying blockchain in local or national elections is not a practical concern, but rather it is a matter of will. However, the stakes have become too high to not think out of the box. The fractious nature of many recent elections, and the prospect of another fraught US Presidential vote, should serve as a warning to democracies and their leaders. Think big, think differently or risk ever-shrinking trust from the people you represent. Blockchain has been sixteen years in the making. The time has come to place it at the cutting edge of elections. Doing so would send an unequivocal message that the tide for democracy is turning.

Eli Ben-Sasson is co-founder and CEO of StarkWare, a technology company focused on blockchain. He has held research positions at Harvard, MIT and Princeton.

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