区块链投票系统使用场景_用区块链影响传统投票

区块链投票系统使用场景

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 ，我曾尝试列举使用区块链技术来解决传统投票的痛点的好处。 在这篇文章中，我试图进一步探索这个概念，并说明如何在选举过程的每个阶段都可以利用区块链。

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.

不断的大流行迫使每个行业创新其技术的使用，并找到以最小的中断来经营业务的新方法。 在这些不确定的时期进行选举的挑战没有什么不同。 传统投票主要是使人们排长队在指定的投票站前，并使用纸质或电子投票的方式进行选择。 在当今的环境中，寻找非接触式替代现场投票变得至关重要。 即使在远程投票成为常态的情况下，确保选举的完整性并维护其结果至关重要。 诸如区块链之类的技术具有多种固有功能，有利于举行安全而又透明的选举。

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.

在过去的几年中，区块链进行了几次选举，从2018年的塞拉利昂到2020 年的俄罗斯 。 美国邮政服务局(USPS)已为区块链投票系统申请了专利 。 据报道，由于越来越多的选民选择远程投票，USPS正在考虑将区块链作为管理邮寄投票的可行选择，而邮寄投票预计将在即将到来的选举中激增。

传统投票可以在投票过程的每个阶段利用区块链 (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.

我们仍处于成熟的区块链采用阶段。 期望这项技术将以自己的方式连根拔起并取代一切，这只是异想天开。 因此，这里的目的不是要取代传统的投票系统，而是在选举的每个阶段都用区块链来增强它。

管理选举程序 (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.

传统上，管理选举涉及从选举计划到宣布结果的所有事件。 它包括确定投票站，分配投票人员和分发投票箱。

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.

同样，在区块链系统中，需要管理特定于技术的流程。 首先，在区块链平台上指定负责管理选举过程的机构为选举管理员 。 他们配置选票，注册选民，创建和激活选举，观察投票过程，结束选举，观察结果并将其部署在系统上。

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.

管理员节点可以使用与选举智能合约进行交互的分散式应用程序创建选举投票。 这些智能合同具有选举的详细信息，包括候选人及其竞争管辖权。 基于候选人和管辖权的单独投票合同使选举过程进一步分散。

选民登记 (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.

选举制度应仅允许合格个人在选举中投票。 因此，与负责为选民发布可靠身份信息的各种政府机构合作至关重要。

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.

选民应该能够使用纸质和基于网络的注册表格，从而确保没有人遗漏。 在确定已登记选民的资格时，管理人员会将其添加到选民列表中。 然后将唯一的ID和PIN发放给选民。 他们将在投票过程中使用这些ID来证明自己的身份。 借助“零知识证明”等机制，可以确保包括选举当局在内的任何人都无法通过发行的身份证件来识别选民。

选民身份验证 (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.

现在我们到了投票日。 在选民投票之前，必须先核实其身份，以确保他们有资格投票并且尚未投票。 在传统投票中，当选民到达投票站时，分配给展位的选举官员会验证选民的ID，并确认选民尚未投票。

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.

当投票人在基于区块链的系统上注册时，他们可以利用智能合约来确定其身份。 使用在区块链上运行的应用程序的选民可以在注册过程中发送给他们的ID的哈希值，然后使用存储在系统中的ID进行验证。 智能合约还可以检查区块链系统，并验证选民是否已经行使了投票权。 成功通过验证后，选民将能够登录该应用程序进行投票。 但是，为了阻止追踪选民的投票，必须将存储选民信息的区块链系统与存储选民信息的系统分开。

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.

区块链将加密技术的功能与透明性相结合，这使其成为在线投票的便捷且安全的选择。 记录在区块链上的选票将具有防篡改功能。 人们现在可以在家中方便地进行投票。 他们可以在不损害安全性或隐私的情况下使用计算机或移动设备进行投票。 此外，他们将能够核实自己的选票并确保被计票。

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，在仅区块链或混合投票中，投票人可以选择投票机制的情况下，防止同一选民进行多次投票至关重要。 当投票者登录投票应用程序时，结果URL可以嵌入投票者特定的信息，并在投票后禁用。 此外，一旦选民行使其权利，就更新选民区块链，以确保他们无法在当前选举中再次投票。 最后，为了鼓励选民参与，选民可以通过投票获得奖励。

投票记录 (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.

仅在不变的分类帐上记录选举是有益的，这更易于计数和验证。 存放选票的系统必须具有防篡改性和不可争议性。 必须将它们分散管理以隔离黑客攻击尝试。 确认投票进入区块链所花费的时间也应该是合理的。

微网络 (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，采用侧链方法是有益的，而不是在参与投票的区块链的所有节点之间复制投票记录。 将有投票权的区块链划分为较小的管辖区域或地区网络，可确保更快地进行区块确认，并限制黑客入侵。 加密和解密投票所需的密钥将从一个选区更改为另一个选区。 掌握私钥的任何黑客都只能揭露特定选区的选择。

透明验证 (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，增加或拒绝选票的决定应当透明，没有恶意。 选民将他们的选择作为交易提交给各个选区节点。 这些节点然后验证投票者和投票是否有效。 验证后，选区节点会将交易添加到块中。 然后将该块传输到连接到节点的所有节点，直到更新完整的网络。 选民会收到一个交易ID，可以用来验证自己的投票。

投票存储 (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.

至关重要的是不要透露选民如何投票，他们投票支持的政党，甚至是选民或验证者节点。 选民应该能够证明他们投票了，但不能证明他们投票给了谁。 防止选票操纵，选民胁迫和潮流影响至关重要。 零知识证明有利于选民在没有任何选票细节的情况下宣布自己的选票。

激励措施 (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.

最后，必须激励验证者节点以保持诚实。 为了防止由于交易费用低而延误投票确认，最好有固定的交易费用，同时将确认票的奖励与确认交易所需的价格分开。

计票 (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.

任何选举程序的最后阶段都是汇总选票。 选举制度应确保并向选民证明已正确计算了他们的选票。 它不应使控制权能够篡改任何第三方。 此外，它不应允许单个实体控制票数和确定选举结果。

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.

辖区节点将使用智能合约在每个选区级别查询和发布投票数。 所有选区的累积结果将构成最终的计票并确定获胜方。 此外，区块链投票系统还允许选举管理部门进行选举后审计。

有关区块链投票的担忧 (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.

区块链技术为传统投票提供了迫切需要的弹性替代方案。 但是，该技术还带来了区块链特有的问题 。 首先，要使这项技术在如此巨大的规模上取得成功，就必须有一个健全的治理模型。 确定正确的区块链平台，适当的共识机制以及无差错和包罗万象的智能合约至关重要。 必须采取措施防止使用51％攻击或欺诈性节点操纵系统。 保护选民隐私的措施至关重要。

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，确保在确认投票之前进行确认过程不会使选民失去选举权至关重要。 同样，防止选民由于较慢的区划确认时间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.

总之，区块链技术可能不是灵丹妙药。 目前，进行大规模选举可能还不够自给。 但是，该技术的优点可以改善传统的投票流程，同时保持选举的完整性和其结果的合法性。

翻译自: https://medium.com/swlh/influencing-traditional-voting-with-blockchain-e10a57ed96f3

区块链投票系统使用场景