Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, believes blockchain technology can improve election integrity amidst concerns about electronic voting systems. Hoskinson proposed a dual system where blockchain and paper ballots audit each other to ensure transparency and accuracy in vote counting.
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently pointed out numerous irregularities in Puerto Rico’s primary elections, which were identified thanks to a paper trail. Kennedy emphasized the need for paper ballots to ensure accurate vote counts and prevent electronic interference and advocated for a system that guarantees every vote is counted correctly and transparently.
Blockchain technology, as highlighted by Hoskinson, offers a secure and transparent method for recording votes. Blockchain systems like Cardano, Ethereum, and Solana are designed to prevent manipulation and allow public verification of stored information. Integrating blockchain with paper ballots could create a robust system where the digital and analog methods audit each other.
Puerto Rico’s elections commission is currently reviewing its contract with Dominion Voting Systems after software issues caused a mismatch in vote counts during the primaries leading to inaccurate machine-reported results, which were corrected using paper backups.
Also read: Cardano Co-Founder Reflects on Alternative Path in Cardano’s Development
