Transparent elections? Romania taps blockchain tech
Votes viewable online in near real-time
Romania has included blockchain technology in its electoral process, using it to validate and count presidential votes.
Thanks to the technology, all transactions are publicly viewable on the ledger, which is live on the official website of the Permanent Electoral Authority in Romania (ROAP). However, the dashboard does not display the exact candidates voted for, maintaining voter privacy.
The ROAP collaborated with the country's Special Telecommunication Service (STS) to implement this innovative system. In June, STS revealed that the system works on the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) with nodes scattered across 27 countries in Europe. Nodes refer to computers or devices that keep the public records of the transactions in the blockchain.
Blockchains consist of blocks that permanently store transaction data. In this case, the blocks contain verified votes. According to Finbold, the system adds new blocks every five seconds, ensuring near real-time updates. At the time of writing, more than 93,000 blocks have been generated.
The STS said: “This modern technological implementation aims to strengthen the resilience of the electoral system in Romania by ensuring traceability and increasing confidence in data integrity.”
By design, blockchain technology uses strong cryptographic methods to record transactions. This ensures data is authentic, transparent, and cannot be altered. The immutable nature of the blockchain means the records are tamper-proof.
According to the STS, tapping blockchain technology for this purpose “allows accurate tracking of voting participation, ensuring the security and transparency of information, essential attributes for ensuring the fairness of the electoral process.”
It also noted, “Blockchain creates a system that is impossible to change and, at the same time, verifiable by all participants, thus strengthening the integrity and security of the electoral process.”
Romania's bold move is a strong precedent, showing how blockchain technology can transform the electoral process. By ensuring data transparency and immutability, it offers a glimpse of a future of more secure and trustworthy elections—serving as a new noteworthy example for governments all over the world.
