Patrick BetDavid advocates for the use of blockchain technology to enhance transparency in elections
Patrick Bet-David, the CEO and founder of Valuetainment, believes that blockchain has the potential to significantly enhance voting systems across the globe. With the ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and Bitcoin, Bet-David questions whether new technology could be the solution to modernizing the outdated voting process. He stresses that the goal is not only to improve transparency and accessibility in voting systems, but also to instill confidence in the election process and its outcomes.
Bet-David expressed his views in a YouTube video, highlighting blockchain as “a shared immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.” He believes that these features make blockchain technology well-suited for use in voting systems.
The integration of blockchain technology in voting is not a new topic, as researchers and experts have previously discussed how countries can benefit from its application across various aspects of human life. Some U.S. states have already piloted blockchain voting systems, with West Virginia being the first to use blockchain voting in a pilot for federal elections. The implementation of a publicly verifiable ledger while maintaining the anonymity of voters is a significant aspect of this push for blockchain technology.
Bet-David sees this as a positive step forward. He points out that in addition to a decentralized ledger that records votes, the immutability of each cryptographically signed vote ensures that they cannot be altered without detection.
Apart from West Virginia, other U.S. states that have explored blockchain voting systems include Utah, Colorado, and Oregon. For example, in Denver, Colorado, a pilot program allowed overseas voters and active duty military personnel to vote for Municipal elections through a blockchain-based smartphone app. Similarly, a voter in Utah became the first person to vote for president using blockchain technology. Blockchain-based voting apps have also been successful in countries like Switzerland, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, and Russia.
While Bet-David advocates for the use of blockchain to enhance transparency and accessibility in elections, he acknowledges that there are challenges in implementing the technology. Critics have raised concerns about technical and security issues, including scalability and cyber-attacks, as well as legal and regulatory hurdles related to voter anonymity and privacy. U.S. states such as New York, California, and Texas have expressed reservations and discomfort with the system.
However, with trust in the U.S. government declining from 73% in 1958 to around 16% today, Bet-David believes that new technology could be the key to engaging the younger generation in the voting process.
