Estonia has long been a star in internet government services. They started trying online votes in 2005. But this new method takes things to a whole new level. It uses blockchain technology to make votes more safe and open.
Blockchain Method:
Blockchain is a type of technology that makes a safe, permanent record of activities. It’s most famous for being used in coins like Bitcoin. But it has many other possible uses. Voting is one place where blockchain could make a big difference.
The new vote method is called E-Vote. It was created by a team of Estonian computer scientists and voting experts. The job took three years to finish. It cost about 15 million euros. The government says this spending will save money in the long run.
Here’s how the E-Vote method works. Every Estonian person has a digital ID card. This card has a secret chip in it. To vote, people use their card to log into the E-Vote website. They can do this from any computer or smartphone.
Once logged in, viewers see a list of candidates. They make their choice by clicking on a name. The vote is then hidden. This means it’s turned into a secret code. The secret vote is sent to the blockchain.
The blockchain stores each vote as a separate “block” of data. Each block is connected to the ones before and after it. This forms a “chain” of votes. Once a vote is in the blockchain, it can’t be changed or removed without everyone knowing.
On election day, 67% of Estonian voters used the E-Vote method. The rest voted in regular voting places. The high turnout for computer voting shocked many experts. It shows that people accept the new method.
Mart Põder, the head of Estonia’s election committee, said: “This is an important moment. We’ve shown that blockchain voting can work on a national scale. It’s safe, it’s fast, and people like using it.”
The E-Vote method has several benefits. First, it makes voting easy for many people. Elderly or crippled voters don’t have to drive to voting places. People who live far from their vote area can still join easily.
Second, the system is very fast. In past elections, it took days to count all the votes. With E-Vote, the results were known just two hours after polls closed. This quick return can help lessen doubt and stress after an election.
Third, the blockchain makes the vote process very open. Anyone can check the blockchain to see that their vote was recorded properly. They can’t see how other people chose, but they can see that the total number of votes is right.
Fourth, the system is hard to hack or influence. Each vote is secured and spread across many computers. To change votes, a hacker would need to handle more than half of these computers at the same time. This is practically impossible.
However, not everyone is completely happy with the new method. Some older voters said they found it confusing. The government ran a big information effort before the election. But some people still struggled with the technology.
There were also some computer glitches on voting day. For about 30 minutes, the system slowed down due to high traffic. Some people couldn’t join in during this time. But the problem was quickly fixed, and these voters were allowed to try again later.
Some hacking experts have raised worries about the system. They worry that it might be possible to hack the digital ID cards. If someone could steal a person’s digital identity, they could possibly vote in their name.
To answer these worries, the Estonian government asked foreign experts to watch the election. Teams from the United Nations, the European Union, and several colleges watched the process carefully.
Dr. Maria Schmidt, a vote technology expert from Germany, was part of the observation team. She said: “We were pleased by the E-Vote method. It has strong security methods. But like any method, it’s not perfect. We’ve offered some changes for future polls.”
One idea is to add a tool that lets people change their vote. This would help if someone was forced to vote a certain way. They could later change their vote in secret. Some other online vote methods already have this ability.
Another idea is to make a paper copy of each vote. This would allow for hand reviews if needed. The Estonian government is reviewing these ideas for future versions of E-Vote.
Despite these worries, many countries are showing interest in the Estonian approach. Representatives from over 20 countries attended the election to see E-Vote in work. Some are now considering similar methods for their own elections.
The United States is one country watching closely. After problems in recent elections, many Americans want a more safe vote method. Some states are already trying with blockchain for voter registration. But using it for real votes is still a big step.
India, the world’s biggest democracy, is also interested. With over 900 million registered voters, India faces huge organizational problems in elections. A blockchain vote method could possibly make the process faster and more safe.
However, experts warn that what works in Estonia might not work everywhere. Estonia is a small country with a population of just 1.3 million. It also has very high online usage and tech knowledge. Larger countries might face different difficulties.
Dr. John Smith, a political scientist from the UK, says: “Estonia’s progress is amazing. But we need to be careful about applying this system in different situations. Each country needs to consider its own unique situation.”
One big question is how to make sure everyone can use such a system. Not everyone has access to a computer or smartphone. And not everyone is comfortable using modern technology. Countries would need to make sure that a digital vote method doesn’t exclude some people.
There’s also the question of trust. For a democracy to work, people need to trust the vote system. In some countries, there might be fear of a computer system. Governments would need to work hard to build public trust.
Despite these difficulties, many see blockchain voting as the future. Supporters say it could improve voting turnout. It could make voting cheaper and faster. And it could lower the chance of scams and mistakes.
Jaan Tallinn, one of the founders of Skype and an expert on the E-Vote project, said: “This is just the beginning. Blockchain has the ability to change how government works. We could see more direct participation in decision-making. Citizens could have a say on more issues, more often.”
Some even say that blockchain voting could allow new kinds of democracy. For example, it could make it easy to hold regular referendums on important topics. Or it could allow for more equal representation in parliaments.
As word of Estonia’s winning election spreads, discussions are starting in many countries. Should we move to digital voting? Is bitcoin the right technology? How can we ensure that votes stay free and fair in the digital age?
These are big questions without easy answers. But Estonia’s experience shows that blockchain voting is no longer just an idea. It’s a real possibility that countries can consider.
As the day ends, Estonia’s poll leaders are enjoying their success. But they’re also already thinking about how to improve the method for next time. The world of politics is moving fast. The blockchain change in democracy may just be getting started.