Analyzing the Effectiveness of Secure Elections as an Application of Blockchain Technology

There is a well-documented open debate as to whether the United States’ election systems are sufficiently secure and efficient, with some scholars advocating for a return to paper balloting. It has been idealistically proposed that an electronic voting system powered by blockchain tech- nology can completely eradicate voter fraud while ensuring the vote remains secure and private. I review the existing literature on the vulnerabilities of electronic voting systems in United States and elsewhere, and critique two case studies from 2018 of vote-collecting using blockchain in a real live election: the first in the state of West Virginia’s midterm elections and the second in the country of Sierra Leone’s national elections.