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You joke but there's actually a nice application here. Consider a voting scheme where each voter is given a unique key in some fashion, probably with the same

by lawn 8y ago

You joke but there's actually a nice application here. Consider a voting scheme where each voter is given a unique key in some fashion, probably with the same ID requirements as voting today. It's then used to place a single vote on the blockchain. This system could have these nice properties: * Verifiable number of votes and correct counting * Each voter could verify that their own vote was counted correctly and they can see what they voted for using independently developed tools * More eco friendly * Cheaper Yes it's not perfect, most people will still just trust an electronic box, but there is an interesting application here. Edit: Several comments on privacy. Yes voter anonymity is crucial and it might be possible here as well.

acdha 8y ago
How do you prevent someone’s boss from saying “vote for my guy or you’re fired!”? Or someone revealing the keys and de-anonymizing everyone who voted for the loser?
- lawn 8y ago
  In cryptocurrencies Monero and to some extent ZCash tries to make transactions anonymous but still verifiable for the owner. Global supply is also verifiable. Maybe there's a way to anonymize the voting scheme in some way as well. Research in this area is still very new. Look up ZNARKs for example.
  - MereInterest 8y ago
    > transactions anonymous but still verifiable for the owner. The problem is that "owner" here means "whoever holds the private key". If I can verify that my individual vote was cast correctly, then somebody looking over my shoulder can verify how I voted as well.
  - acdha 8y ago
    That’s not relevant to this problem: if your boss, union, the person who just bought your vote, etc. is in a position to check they can just ask you to show them. A traditional ballot is immune to this as long as it’s not broadly possible to have someone follow you into the booth.
ufo 8y ago
How would you keep voter secrecy in such a system?
- sowbug 8y ago
  Use a mixer.
r00fus 8y ago
No vote secrecy means votes will be sold and/or coerced. Still no better than a paper vote.
jacques_chester 8y ago
Or we can use paper, which already works and doesn't require auditing, expert development or flawless bug free code being written the first time.

by lawn 8y ago

acdha 8y ago

How do you prevent someone’s boss from saying “vote for my guy or you’re fired!”? Or someone revealing the keys and de-anonymizing everyone who voted for the loser?

lawn 8y ago
In cryptocurrencies Monero and to some extent ZCash tries to make transactions anonymous but still verifiable for the owner. Global supply is also verifiable. Maybe there's a way to anonymize the voting scheme in some way as well. Research in this area is still very new. Look up ZNARKs for example.
- MereInterest 8y ago
  > transactions anonymous but still verifiable for the owner. The problem is that "owner" here means "whoever holds the private key". If I can verify that my individual vote was cast correctly, then somebody looking over my shoulder can verify how I voted as well.
- acdha 8y ago
  That’s not relevant to this problem: if your boss, union, the person who just bought your vote, etc. is in a position to check they can just ask you to show them. A traditional ballot is immune to this as long as it’s not broadly possible to have someone follow you into the booth.

ufo 8y ago

How would you keep voter secrecy in such a system?

sowbug 8y ago
Use a mixer.

r00fus 8y ago

No vote secrecy means votes will be sold and/or coerced. Still no better than a paper vote.

jacques_chester 8y ago

Or we can use paper, which already works and doesn't require auditing, expert development or flawless bug free code being written the first time.