There is an attempt underway to roll out a blockchain voting app in time for the November elections. WinterGreen Research and Government Blockchain Association are producing a voting app, or GBA, which utilizes blockchain technology to “make fraud detectable.” 

COVID-19 will drive adoption

Susan Eustis, President of WinterGreen Research, stated in a statement that she assumes COVID-19 to stimulate its adoption:

“We anticipate that the digital voting app will roll out quickly, just as the telemedicine market was eclipsed by virtual care delivery from Cisco WebEx and Zoom. Physicians went from doing 200 televisits per year to 36,000 per week within the past month. The same market driving forces impact voting as impact healthcare delivery.”

The implementation of such an app would have to be allowed on a state-by-state basis. Eustis has had discussions with some state-level officials and is positive about its selection in time for the U.S Presidential elections in November. WinterGreen Research has also developed a training course for the election officials.

 Eustis noted, “The WinterGreen Research team has prepared to start training election officials at the local level within a couple of weeks. Virtual voting is the best of any recommended solutions for social distancing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19.”

According to Eustis, they are investigating various private blockchains for their application, and the developer will be declared soon. The GBA is operating on the blockchain standards for the app, while WinterGreen Research will be training election officials if the app gets approved.

If the COVID-19 pandemic proceeds to trail in November, the government may be compelled to update the electoral process to the standards and expectations of the 21st century.