VoteBlock - A Decentralized Online Voting Solution with Blockchain

Abstract

Traditional voting systems, both paper and electronic, suffer from major security, transparency, and fraud-prevention challenges. Paper ballots are vulnerable to manipulation and logistical concerns, whereas electronic voting machines may be hacked into and manipulated. Centralized systems also create problems of voter anonymity, accessibility, and auditability. VoteBlock, an online voting system built on blockchain technology, takes advantage of the decentralized and immutable features of blockchain. VoteBlock utilizes a distributed ledger to prevent single points of failure, such that no single entity can modify or manage the voting process. Every vote is encrypted and written as a transaction on the blockchain, with real-time verifiability at no cost to voter privacy. Multi-factor authentication is used to protect access and keep unauthorized voting at bay. The open architecture makes it possible for election officials and auditors to validate results cost-effectively and reliably. VoteBlock was prototyped and tested under various conditions to measure performance metrics including transaction speed, network latency, and security scalability. The testing proved that VoteBlock successfully inhibits double voting and tampering with votes, providing an elevated solution that heightens the security, transparency, and credibility of contemporary voting systems.