Politics
Technology
Elections
Political Science
Blockchain
Blockchain Technology
Voting System
Voting Systems
The Kenyan voting system is very similar to a blockchain. Voting was decentralized to reduce the single points of failure. Let me explain how:
Thread*
1/n
Thread*
1/n
A team of returning officers running a polling station would be compared to a node with party officials serving as the consensus mechanism.
On the Blockchain, a node is a copy of the ledger (voter register).
2/n
On the Blockchain, a node is a copy of the ledger (voter register).
2/n
By having 46,229 nodes running the same copy of the voter register, it compares with all Bitcoin nodes running the same copy of the Bitcoin ledger.
The nodes run on different locations and if one is not working, the others will keep the network up.
3/m
The nodes run on different locations and if one is not working, the others will keep the network up.
3/m
Once you vote, and the consensus mechanism (returning officers, party representatives, and the HQ) sign the transaction, the info is encrypted and sent to all other ledgers.
4/n
4/n
Anyone online can query the results of all votes and see a signed copy of the votes.
On a blockchain, anyone can query and see all historical transactions.
5/n
On a blockchain, anyone can query and see all historical transactions.
5/n
If you wanted to transfer your voter registration status to a different location, it would require verification from other nodes, and after some time, all nodes would get the update that voter XX moved from polling station BX to BY. Everyone can confirm and verify this.
6/n
6/n
This is similar to how you move Bitcoin from one address to the other.
You use your key (in voting we used fingerprints) to authorize a transaction. In bitcoin, it's a private key. Your secret. It's unique to you.
7/n
You use your key (in voting we used fingerprints) to authorize a transaction. In bitcoin, it's a private key. Your secret. It's unique to you.
7/n
Your public key on a blockchain is your address. In our voting system, it was your ID number carried using your original ID card.
You can share that publicly and anyone can learn where you voted.
8/n
You can share that publicly and anyone can learn where you voted.
8/n
What the IEBC is doing is collecting all forms from the nodes and tallying the total based on who you voted for.
In a blockchain, we use 3rd party application to query blockchain information such as total addresses and market cap.
9/n
In a blockchain, we use 3rd party application to query blockchain information such as total addresses and market cap.
9/n
My conclusion: Whoever designed the system understands Bitcoin and probably owns some. It's a system designed on game theory to make sure every participant acts according to the best interest of the entire network and acts honestly.
n/n
n/n
For those that are not Kenyan, here is the IEBC portal showing all the final votes from each polling station. You can search any polling station and download the signed votes. From the site you can also query your voter details using your Kenyan ID card.
forms.iebc.or.ke
forms.iebc.or.ke
Anyone working with the IEBC, I have follow-up questions:
1. Did the biometric device carry the entire voting register?
2. What encryption was used to send data to Bomas indicating that you voted?
3. What was the process used by returning officers to sign and transmit votes?
1. Did the biometric device carry the entire voting register?
2. What encryption was used to send data to Bomas indicating that you voted?
3. What was the process used by returning officers to sign and transmit votes?
Here is a more comprehensive article on the same subject:
forbes.com
forbes.com
Loading suggestions...