Blockchain and Elections 2024: Romania's Groundbreaking Initiative
Blockchain and Its Role in Romania’s 2024 Elections
The Permanent Electoral Authority in Romania (ROAP—Romania Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă) is using blockchain technology to count and validate presidential electoral votes on November 24, 2024.
Ovidiu Damian, a respected Romanian blockchain developer, shared insights on X, highlighting how Romania is using blockchain tech to enhance election integrity. This system allows global observers to track votes in real-time through a publicly accessible dashboard on the ROAP website.
Significance of Blockchain in Election Transparency
- Real-time Tracking: As of this writing, 83,859 blocks containing verified votes have been documented on the blockchain.
- Public Trust: The initiative aims to build trust among voters through guaranteed data integrity.
- Cross-Border Infrastructure: Utilizing the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) ensures secure and traceable voting data across the EU.
Romania's Innovative Blockchain Journey
Romania has made strides in blockchain adoption beyond elections. In 2023, it launched an NFT trading platform through government institution ICI, while 2024 saw its first news publication in NFT format.
- Emerging Technologies: Many experts consider Romanian blockchain MultiversX (EGLD) an Ethereum rival.
- Industry analysts like Justin Bons recognize MultiversX's unique potential for technological advancements.
Such integrations of blockchain technology in governmental procedures could redefine global election standards, fostering more transparent and secure electoral processes for future democracies.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.