On April 25, the Utah GOP convention reportedly selected their nominees utilizing the blockchain voting platform, Voatz. This platform was earlier criticized for various security problems in preceding election events.  The co-founder and CEO of Voatz, Nimit Sawhney, said that the platform “performed as expected” and handled to process 93% of registered delegate votes.

Voatz reportedly a success in Utah GOP convention.

Utah’s GOP chairman, Derek Brown, appreciated the app, saying that the feedback collected was overwhelmingly accurate, and the turnout was remarkable, striking other conventions that applied the system.

Brown added the following concerning Voatz: “Using Voatz allowed us to digitally recreate our usual convention procedures and implement technology in a way that made the process more convenient and secure.”

The application utilizes blockchain technology to confirm an individual’s identity by biometrics and facial recognition. The technology has been directed to pilot tests for political parties, universities, non-profit organizations, among others.

Nevertheless, Voatz has not been without dispute. Lately, released reports suggest of security flaws in the platform.

Criticisms on the platform’s security

It was reported on March 13 that the application was directed to a public audit by the security firm, Trail of Bits.

The app’s shortage of transparency in terms of data security was analyzed in the 122-page report, which saw that Voatz did not apply custom chaincode or smart contracts: “Several high-risk findings were the result of data validation issues and confused deputies in the core server that could allow one voter to masquerade as another before even touching the blockchain.”

Furthermore, West Virginia decided on April 27 that it would no longer utilize the blockchain-based platform to cast votes for residents with disabilities and citizens living abroad for their primary elections. Rather, these citizens will utilize a platform acquiesced by Democracy Live.

The state was a pioneer in executing Voatz in 2018, making a move surprising for some.