區塊鏈投票

In my previous post, I had attempted to enumerate the benefits of using Blockchain technology in addressing the pain points of traditional voting. In this post, I have tried to explore this concept further and illustrate how Blockchain can be leveraged in every stage of the election process.

在我以前的文章中 ，我曾嘗試列舉使用區塊鏈技術來解決傳統投票的痛點的好處。 在這篇文章中，我試圖進一步探索這個概念，並說明如何在選舉過程的每個階段都可以利用區塊鏈。

The ceaseless pandemic has forced every industry to innovate their use of technology and find new ways of running the business with minimum disruption. Challenges with conducting elections during these uncertain times are not any different. Traditional voting predominantly involves people standing in long queues in front of their designated polling stations and casting their choice using paper or electronic ballots. In today’s setting, finding contactless alternatives to in-person voting has become vital. Ensuring the election integrity and safeguarding its outcome even when remote voting becomes a norm is crucial. Technologies such as Blockchain have several inherent capabilities that are conducive for holding secure and yet transparent elections.

不斷的大流行迫使每個行業創新其技術的使用，並找到以最小的中斷來經營業務的新方法。 在這些不確定的時期進行選舉的挑戰沒有什麼不同。 傳統投票主要是使人們排長隊在指定的投票站前，並使用紙質或電子投票的方式進行選擇。 在當今的環境中，尋找非接觸式替代現場投票變得至關重要。 即使在遠程投票成為常態的情況下，確保選舉的完整性並維護其結果至關重要。 諸如區塊鏈之類的技術具有多種固有功能，有利於舉行安全而又透明的選舉。

In the last couple of years, Blockchain has undergirded several elections, from Sierra Leone in 2018 to Russia in 2020. The US Postal Service (USPS) has filed a patent for a Blockchain voting system. The USPS is reportedly contemplating Blockchain as a feasible option for managing the mail-in votes that are expected to surge during the upcoming elections, due to the increased number of voters choosing to vote remotely.

在過去的幾年中，區塊鏈進行了幾次選舉，從2018年的獅子山到2020 年的俄羅斯 。 美國郵政服務局(USPS)已為區塊鏈投票系統申請了專利 。 據報導，由于越來越多的選民選擇遠程投票，USPS正在考慮將區塊鏈作為管理郵寄投票的可行選擇，而郵寄投票預計將在即將到來的選舉中激增。

傳統投票可以在投票過程的每個階段利用區塊鏈 (Traditional voting can leverage Blockchain in every phase of the voting process)

We are still in the nascent phases of full-fledged Blockchain adoption. Expecting that the technology will uproot and replace everything in its way is whimsical at best. Accordingly, the objective here is not to replace the traditional voting system, but to augment it with Blockchain in every phase in the elections.

我們仍處於成熟的區塊鏈採用階段。 期望這項技術將以自己的方式連根拔起並取代一切，這只是異想天開。 因此，這裡的目的不是要取代傳統的投票系統，而是在選舉的每個階段都用區塊鏈來增強它。

管理選舉程序 (Manage Election Process)

Traditionally, managing an election involves all events from election planning to announcing the results. It includes determining the voting booths, assigning the polling staff, and dispatching the ballot boxes.

傳統上，管理選舉涉及從選舉計劃到宣布結果的所有事件。 它包括確定投票站，分配投票人員和分發投票箱。

Similarly, with Blockchain systems, there are technology-specific processes that need to be managed. Firstly, authorities responsible for managing the election process are designated the role of election administrator on the Blockchain Platform. They configure the ballots, register the voters, create and activate the election, observe the voting process, close election, observe and deploy the results on the system.

同樣，在區塊鏈系統中，需要管理特定於技術的流程。 首先，在區塊鏈平臺上指定負責管理選舉過程的機構為選舉管理員 。 他們配置選票，註冊選民，創建和激活選舉，觀察投票過程，結束選舉，觀察結果並將其部署在系統上。

Administrator nodes can create the election ballot using the decentralized apps that interact with the election smart contracts. These smart contracts have the details of the election, including the candidates and their contesting jurisdiction. Separate ballot contracts based on the candidates and the jurisdiction makes the election process further decentralized.

管理員節點可以使用與選舉智能合約進行交互的分散式應用程式創建選舉投票。 這些智能合同具有選舉的詳細信息，包括候選人及其競爭管轄權。 基於候選人和管轄權的單獨投票合同使選舉過程進一步分散。

選民登記 (Voter Registration)

An election system should allow only eligible individuals to vote in an election. Hence it is vital to work with various government agencies responsible for issuing reliable identity information for the voters.

選舉制度應僅允許合格個人在選舉中投票。 因此，與負責為選民發布可靠身份信息的各種政府機構合作至關重要。

Voters should be able to use both paper and web-based registration forms, thereby ensuring no one is left out. On ascertaining the eligibility of the registered voters, the administrators add them to the list of voters. Unique ID and PIN are then issued to the voters. They will use these IDs to attest their identity during the voting process. Leveraging mechanisms such as Zero-Knowledge Proofs will ensure that no one, including the election authorities, can recognize the voter by the IDs issued.

選民應該能夠使用紙質和基於網絡的註冊表格，從而確保沒有人遺漏。 在確定已登記選民的資格時，管理人員會將其添加到選民列表中。 然後將唯一的ID和PIN發放給選民。 他們將在投票過程中使用這些ID來證明自己的身份。 藉助「零知識證明」等機制，可以確保包括選舉當局在內的任何人都無法通過發行的身份證件來識別選民。

選民身份驗證 (Voter Identity Verification)

Now we arrive on the voting day. Before the voters cast their votes, their identity has to be verified to ensure they are eligible to vote and that they have not already cast their ballot. In traditional voting, when the voters arrive at their polling stations, the election official assigned to the booth verifies the voter’s ID and confirms that the voter has not voted yet.

現在我們到了投票日。 在選民投票之前，必須先核實其身份，以確保他們有資格投票並且尚未投票。 在傳統投票中，當選民到達投票站時，分配給展位的選舉官員會驗證選民的ID，並確認選民尚未投票。

When the voter registers on a Blockchain-powered system, they can leverage the smart contracts to ascertain their identity. Voters using the applications running on Blockchain can send a hash of the ID issued to them during the registration process, which is then verified with the IDs stored in the system. Smart contracts can also check the Blockchain system and verify if the voter has already exercised their vote. On successful verification, the voters will be able to log into the application to cast their votes. However, to dissuade tracking a ballot back to the voter, the Blockchain systems storing the voter information must be kept separate from the system storing the votes information.

當投票人在基於區塊鏈的系統上註冊時，他們可以利用智能合約來確定其身份。 使用在區塊鏈上運行的應用程式的選民可以在註冊過程中發送給他們的ID的哈希值，然後使用存儲在系統中的ID進行驗證。 智能合約還可以檢查區塊鏈系統，並驗證選民是否已經行使了投票權。 成功通過驗證後，選民將能夠登錄該應用程式進行投票。 但是，為了阻止追蹤選民的投票，必須將存儲選民信息的區塊鏈系統與存儲選民信息的系統分開。

投票投 (Vote Casting)

Blockchain combines the power of cryptography with transparency, which makes it a convenient and secure option for online voting. The votes recorded on Blockchain will be tamper-resistant. People can now cast their ballots at the convenience of their homes. They can vote with a computer or a mobile device, without compromising the security or their privacy. Additionally, they will be able to verify their votes and ensure they are counted.

區塊鏈將加密技術的功能與透明性相結合，這使其成為在線投票的便捷且安全的選擇。 記錄在區塊鏈上的選票將具有防篡改功能。 人們現在可以在家中方便地進行投票。 他們可以在不損害安全性或隱私的情況下使用計算機或行動裝置進行投票。 此外，他們將能夠核實自己的選票並確保被計票。

But, with Blockchain-only or in hybrid voting where voters can choose their voting mechanism, it is crucial to prevent multiple votes by the same voter. When the voter logs into the voting application, the resulting URL can be embedded with voter-specific information and disabled once they cast their ballots. Furthermore, updating the voter Blockchain once the voter has exercised their right ensures they cannot vote again in the current elections. Finally, to encourage voter participation, voters can earn rewards for casting their votes.

但是，在僅區塊鏈或混合投票中，投票人可以選擇投票機制的情況下，防止同一選民進行多次投票至關重要。 當投票者登錄投票應用程式時，結果URL可以嵌入投票者特定的信息，並在投票後禁用。 此外，一旦選民行使其權利，就更新選民區塊鏈，以確保他們無法在當前選舉中再次投票。 最後，為了鼓勵選民參與，選民可以通過投票獲得獎勵。

投票記錄 (Vote Recording)

It is beneficial to record the elections only on the immutable ledger, which is easier to count and verify. The systems storing the ballots have to be tamper-resistant and incontrovertible. They have to be decentralized enough to isolate the hacking attempts. The time taken to confirm the votes into Blockchain should also be reasonable.

僅在不變的分類帳上記錄選舉是有益的，這更易於計數和驗證。 存放選票的系統必須具有防篡改性和不可爭議性。 必須將它們分散管理以隔離黑客攻擊嘗試。 確認投票進入區塊鏈所花費的時間也應該是合理的。

微網絡 (Micro networks)

Firstly, instead of replicating the voting records across all the nodes participating in the voting Blockchain, taking a sidechain approach is beneficial. Dividing the voting Blockchain into smaller jurisdiction or district-wise networks assures faster block confirmation and also limits the hacks. The keys required to encrypt and decrypt the votes will change from one constituency to another. Any hacker getting hold of the private key can only get to reveal the choices of the particular constituency.

首先，採用側鏈方法是有益的，而不是在參與投票的區塊鏈的所有節點之間複製投票記錄。 將有投票權的區塊鏈劃分為較小的管轄區域或地區網絡，可確保更快地進行區塊確認，並限制黑客入侵。 加密和解密投票所需的密鑰將從一個選區更改為另一個選區。 掌握私鑰的任何黑客都只能揭露特定選區的選擇。

透明驗證 (Transparent Verification)

Secondly, the decision to add or reject the ballots should be transparent and devoid of malicious intent. The voters submit their choices as transactions to the respective constituency nodes. These nodes then verify if the voter and the vote is valid. On verification, the constituency nodes add the transaction to the block. The block is then transmitted to all the nodes connected to the nodes until the complete network is updated. Voters receive a transaction ID, which they can use to verify their votes.

第二，增加或拒絕選票的決定應當透明，沒有惡意。 選民將他們的選擇作為交易提交給各個選區節點。 這些節點然後驗證投票者和投票是否有效。 驗證後，選區節點會將交易添加到塊中。 然後將該塊傳輸到連接到節點的所有節點，直到更新完整的網絡。 選民會收到一個交易ID，可以用來驗證自己的投票。

投票存儲 (Vote Storage)

It is paramount not to divulge how the voters voted, the political party they voted for, even to the voters or the validator nodes. Voters should be able to prove they voted but not to whom they voted. It is vital to prevent vote manipulation, voter coercion, and the bandwagon effect. Zero-Knowledge Proofs are beneficial for the voters to declare their votes without any details of the ballots themselves.

至關重要的是不要透露選民如何投票，他們投票支持的政黨，甚至是選民或驗證者節點。 選民應該能夠證明他們投票了，但不能證明他們投票給了誰。 防止選票操縱，選民脅迫和潮流影響至關重要。 零知識證明有利於選民在沒有任何選票細節的情況下宣布自己的選票。

激勵措施 (Incentives)

Finally, it is essential to incentivize the validator nodes to remain honest. To prevent the delays in vote confirmations due to low transaction fees, it is better to have fixed transaction charges, while keeping the rewards for validating the votes separate from the price required to confirm transactions.

最後，必須激勵驗證者節點以保持誠實。 為了防止由於交易費用低而延誤投票確認，最好有固定的交易費用，同時將確認票的獎勵與確認交易所需的價格分開。

計票 (Vote Counting)

The final phase of any election process is to tally the votes. An election system should ensure and prove to a voter that their ballots were counted, and counted correctly. It should not enable control to a third party to tamper with any vote. Additionally, it should not allow a single entity to control over tallying votes and determining an election result.

任何選舉程序的最後階段都是匯總選票。 選舉制度應確保並向選民證明已正確計算了他們的選票。 它不應使控制權能夠篡改任何第三方。 此外，它不應允許單個實體控制票數和確定選舉結果。

The jurisdiction nodes will query and publish the vote count at each constituency level using the smart contracts. The cumulative results from all constituencies form the final tally and determine the winning party. Furthermore, Blockchain voting systems also allow post-electoral audits by the electoral administration.

轄區節點將使用智能合約在每個選區級別查詢和發布投票數。 所有選區的累積結果將構成最終的計票並確定獲勝方。 此外，區塊鏈投票系統還允許選舉管理部門進行選舉後審計。

有關區塊鏈投票的擔憂 (Concerns with Blockchain Voting)

Blockchain technology provides the much needed resilient alternative to traditional voting. But, the technology also brings in problems unique to Blockchain. First, for the technology to succeed on such a vast scale, a sound governance model is a must. Determining the right Blockchain platform, the appropriate consensus mechanism, and error-free and all-inclusive smart contracts is vital. Safeguards against rigging of the systems using the 51 percent attack or fraudulent nodes are necessary. Measures to protect voter privacy is essential.

區塊鏈技術為傳統投票提供了迫切需要的彈性替代方案。 但是，該技術還帶來了區塊鏈特有的問題 。 首先，要使這項技術在如此巨大的規模上取得成功，就必須有一個健全的治理模型。 確定正確的區塊鏈平臺，適當的共識機制以及無差錯和包羅萬象的智能合約至關重要。 必須採取措施防止使用51％攻擊或欺詐性節點操縱系統。 保護選民隱私的措施至關重要。

Additionally, ensuring the validation process before vote confirmation does not disenfranchise the voters is essential. Likewise, preventing voters from casting their ballots multiple times due to slower block confirmation time is critical.

此外，確保在確認投票之前進行確認過程不會使選民失去選舉權至關重要。 同樣，防止選民由於較慢的區劃確認時間而多次投票也很重要。

In conclusion, Blockchain technology might not be the silver bullet. At present, it might not be self-sufficient to conduct elections on a massive scale. But, the merits of the technology has the potential to improve the traditional voting processes, while maintaining election integrity and the legitimacy of its outcomes.

總之，區塊鏈技術可能不是靈丹妙藥。 目前，進行大規模選舉可能還不夠自給。 但是，該技術的優點可以改善傳統的投票流程，同時保持選舉的完整性和其結果的合法性。