Categories: Blockchain

Crypto Valley wraps blockchain voting trial

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A blockchain-based voting system was put to the test in Zug, Switzerland, a small town dubbed Crypto Valley, and the result was a complete success, local officials say.

Zug’s Head of Communications Dieter Müller states that the technical aspects of the pilot vote will now be evaluated over the next few months. “The number of participants could have been higher,” he adds, referring to the fact that only 72 out of the 240 registered voters actually participated. But those who did get involved found it very easy to do.

The trial run of the city’s blockchain-based eID or digital identification system, set up in November 2017, consisted of locals utilising their smartphones to download an app to register and vote. The process, unlike all other e-voting systems around the world, was not centralised but instead distributed across many computers using blockchain.

The test began 25th June and ended Monday evening and voting questions were only simulated, which means results will not be binding.

Olivier Acuña

Olivier has been writing for over 30 years. He has been based in six countries working for major news outlets including the Guardian, UPI & AP. He has covered massive earthquakes, presidential elections, immigration, and taken photos standing in the middle of shootouts between drug cartels, gone undercover to investigate organised crime, interviewed presidents, former presidents, heads of international organisations.