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I'm super bearish on blockchain, but this is one place I'd like to see it. The machine gives me a paper record of my vote to keep. Meanwhile, it appends my vot

I'm super bearish on blockchain, but this is one place I'd like to see it. The machine gives me a paper record of my vote to keep. Meanwhile, it appends my vote to the blockchain. I go home and use information from my paper printout to verify my vote is indeed counted and on the blockchain. If my vote isn't on the blockchain, I have a paper record of it that can be used to append it, should the machine "fail."

wool_gather 8y ago
Interesting, and thank you for explaining how a blockchain would actually be used! But while there's value in allowing you to prove to yourself that your specific vote was counted, any such scheme also breaks the secrecy of your ballot and opens you to being forced to prove it for someone else.
MereInterest 8y ago
The problem with individually verifiable votes is that of vote buying. Consider two scenarios, one where votes can be individually verified, and one where they cannot. A) Person stands outside of polling station in swing state/district, offers $5 for a verified vote. Walk in, get your receipt/blockchain entry/doodad, show it to the vote buyer outside, get $5. Not at all a good situation, because it enables votes to be bought. B) Person stands outside of polling station in swing state/district, offers $5 for a vote. Walk in, vote for whoever you want, then walk out and pocket the $5. Because the vote cannot be verified, they have no proof one way or the other. Better to have an adversarial system, where any votes coming out of the ballot box are observed by representatives of all candidates. Each candidate has an incentive to ensure that the others do not tamper with the vote.
- AequitasOmnibus 8y ago
  Vote-buying is already criminalized under 18 U.S.C. § 597 [0]. Several states have similar laws [1]. Scenario A could still happen, but seeing as it's explicitly illegal, the likelihood of it causing widespread voter fraud is unlikely. [0] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 [1] http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/statute.aspx?id=27347 http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/statute.aspx?id=27347
  - ufo 8y ago
    More insidious than vote buying is voter coercion and blackmail. This has been a major problem in the past in places without secret ballots.
debacle 8y ago
I agree. this is one of the few instances where the blockchain makes sense.

wool_gather 8y ago

Interesting, and thank you for explaining how a blockchain would actually be used! But while there's value in allowing you to prove to yourself that your specific vote was counted, any such scheme also breaks the secrecy of your ballot and opens you to being forced to prove it for someone else.

MereInterest 8y ago

The problem with individually verifiable votes is that of vote buying. Consider two scenarios, one where votes can be individually verified, and one where they cannot. A) Person stands outside of polling station in swing state/district, offers $5 for a verified vote. Walk in, get your receipt/blockchain entry/doodad, show it to the vote buyer outside, get $5. Not at all a good situation, because it enables votes to be bought. B) Person stands outside of polling station in swing state/district, offers $5 for a vote. Walk in, vote for whoever you want, then walk out and pocket the $5. Because the vote cannot be verified, they have no proof one way or the other. Better to have an adversarial system, where any votes coming out of the ballot box are observed by representatives of all candidates. Each candidate has an incentive to ensure that the others do not tamper with the vote.

AequitasOmnibus 8y ago
Vote-buying is already criminalized under 18 U.S.C. § 597 [0]. Several states have similar laws [1]. Scenario A could still happen, but seeing as it's explicitly illegal, the likelihood of it causing widespread voter fraud is unlikely. [0] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 [1] http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/statute.aspx?id=27347 http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/statute.aspx?id=27347
- ufo 8y ago
  More insidious than vote buying is voter coercion and blackmail. This has been a major problem in the past in places without secret ballots.

debacle 8y ago

I agree. this is one of the few instances where the blockchain makes sense.