On November 5, 2024, Screven County in Georgia became the first US state to rely on blockchain technology to guarantee election results. The country has partnered with Simple Proof experts to ensure more transparency and avoid potential falsification of election results. Let’s take a closer look at how the technology was implemented and whether it could pave the way for broader adoption of blockchain in elections across the country.
The growing role of Blockchain
Initially a research project, blockchain became popular when Satoshi Nakamoto created a blockchain to serve as a public ledger for Bitcoin transactions. However, the technology has developed significantly since then, finding use in various industries. It is used to make secure, real-time transactions in the financial sector and to track goods from origin to delivery in supply chain management. Blockchain has also revolutionized the gaming world, with players no longer having to provide personal information during registration if they choose to transact through the secure ledger. Besides playing traditional casino games and betting on sports, you can now even visit the best crypto eSports betting sites and bet on your favorite video game competitions. Today, the technology made its historic debut during the US elections, marking the next big step in Blockchain adoption.
The 2024 elections in Screven County
The 2024 US presidential elections saw many historic firsts, including the use of blockchain technology in the electoral process. Screven County, Georgia, became the first U.S. state to use the secure ledger to save its election results. The state partnered with Simple Proof, which previously backed up the results of Guatemala’s 2023 presidential elections, documenting the entire process in its Enduring Democracy video on YouTube. Screven County Elections Supervisor Stacy Scott Mincey said one of her main goals is to make sure everyone feels safe when their votes are counted. She sent the documents to Simple Proof’s immutable proof service, which then automatically timestamped them on the blockchain. In this way, block 869047 became the first block on the Bitcoin chain containing evidence of a US election.
Subsequent use of the simple proof
Mincey’s Meetup group met with Simple Proof’s Head of Elections, Carlos Toriello, and the company’s booth at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in July as they raised awareness about how the technology can be used to protect records public. In October, the board decided to use plain proof for the 2024 elections and the rest is history. Now, Toriello said he’s optimistic about using the service statewide for his upcoming elections. He commented that the company implemented this system within a week, proving that it can also be introduced statewide. Mincey also said she would like to see every county in Georgia use plain proof in the next election.
