Brazilian Voting Authority to introduce blockchain-based voting systems in future elections

The Brazilian Voting Authority is studying applications of blockchain technology to implement it in future elections. Blockchain-based voting systems are currently being tested in several countries including the United States.

Elections are one of the fields where blockchain-based systems can be applied, due to trust and security the technology provides. Various studies and pilot programs are being conducted in several countries to better understand use cases of the technology in voting systems.

Last month, the Brazilian voting authority (TSE) announced that they are looking into ways to adopt blockchain technology for future elections.

The “Elections of the future” program by the TSE is studying end-to-end voting protocol, post-quantum cryptography, shared keys, and blockchain ledgering systems, to implement efficient and economically viable solutions to the electronic voting system.

TSE did not provide a possible timeline as to when blockchain-based voting systems will be implemented in the country.

Voatz, a blockchain-based voting company, is well known in the field, having conducted several pilot programs across the U.S to test the efficiency of the system. The company helped West Virginia residents living outside the state to cast ballots using their mobile phones in the 2018 elections. Voatz’s pilot program was not used by authorities in the 2020 elections citing security concerns.

In 2020, the DApp was used by millions in Venezuela to vote in an unofficial referendum against President Nicolas Maduro.