E-Voting

In the Universal Pervasive Transaction Framework (UPTF) project, we are developing a framework for executing transactions over a wireless medium. This includes an overall framework, devices, a new security protocol, workflows for carrying transactions in this framework and a system architecture.

E-voting presents another application that can be implemented in the same Universal Pervasive Transaction Framework. This application uses the same framework, devices, architecture and overall framework. The modifications concern the notion of a transaction (which is not a purchase of goods and services) and an extension to the overall architecture that guarantees the anonymity of the wireless devices owner who submits the transaction.

The application presented is a personal opinion registering application, an example of which is voting, a special case of which is voting in municipal, regional, or national elections. The discussed application would allow the registered owner of a Universal Pervasive Transaction Device to vote from a distance (wirelessly), in a way that the voting action can be authenticated but without any single party knowing the content of the vote of that specific individual.

Even in the most technologically advanced societies, voting has been the target of intense scrutiny and controversy, on the basis of its complexity, cost, accessibility and accuracy (see Report of the Caltech-MIT Voting Technology Project). The primary benefits of the discussed application:

• Much easier to set up a voting station (the equipment is identical to the merchant spot described in the financial transaction application
• Lower cost
  • Inexpensive voting equipment
  • Less personnel is necessary for carrying out the voting process
• Faster and flexible for the voters
  • Less time spend (drive-through, no waiting in line)
  • Parallelization of the voting action (many voters can cast votes simultaneously)
  • Voters can vote to any voting station (they do need to go to a specific voting station)
• Easier for the voter to cast a ballot that represents her intent (no levers to push no confusing ballot formats)

The above benefits could result to increased voter participation, which is a goal of any healthy democratic society.