由於最近的技術進步，基於區塊鏈的投票可能即將出現

新的和改進的技術很快就會使基於區塊鏈的投票成為選舉中紙質選票的可行替代方案。

As technology continues to advance, blockchain-based voting is emerging as a potential alternative to traditional paper ballots in elections. Layer-2 (L2) network solutions, combined with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, could provide both the scalability and privacy necessary to conduct elections using blockchain technology.

隨著技術的不斷進步，基於區塊鏈的投票正在成為選舉中傳統紙本選票的潛在替代方案。第 2 層 (L2) 網路解決方案與零知識 (ZK) 證明相結合，可以提供使用區塊鏈技術進行選舉所需的可擴展性和隱私性。

ZK-proofs are a way to prove an input for a blockchain transaction without revealing the actual underlying information. In the case of elections, this could pertain to voter identity. L2s aim to allow the network to scale to accommodate a large number of voters and information.

ZK 證明是一種在不洩露實際底層資訊的情況下證明區塊鏈交易輸入的方法。就選舉而言，這可能與選民身分有關。 L2 旨在允許網路擴展以容納大量選民和資訊。

Despite several small-scale explorations into blockchain-based voting, some have dismissed the technology as a viable solution, suggesting it may introduce new problems to elections rather than resolve existing ones. Notably, a 2018 consensus study report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in the United States rejected the use of any internet-based technologies for elections:

儘管對基於區塊鏈的投票進行了一些小規模的探索，但有些人認為該技術是一種可行的解決方案，這表明它可能會為選舉帶來新問題，而不是解決現有問題。值得注意的是，美國國家科學、工程和醫學院 2018 年的一份共識研究報告拒絕使用任何基於互聯網的技術進行選舉：

“Internet voting should not be used in the future until and unless very robust guarantees of security and verifiability are developed and in place, as no known technology guarantees the secrecy, security, and verifiability of a marked ballot transmitted over the Internet.”

「除非開發出非常強有力的安全性和可驗證性保證並到位，否則將來不應使用互聯網投票，因為沒有任何已知技術可以保證通過互聯網傳輸的標記選票的保密性、安全性和可驗證性。

However, many of these assumptions about blockchain voting are outdated, according to Lasha Antadze, co-founder of the ZK social platform Rarilabs and founder of the election blockchain solution Freedom Tool. He told Cointelegraph that critics have not considered the arrival of effective ZK-proofs and L2s, which could significantly enhance election security by shielding the process from manipulation and accusations of rigging.

然而，ZK 社群平台 Rarilabs 聯合創辦人兼選舉區塊鏈解決方案 Freedom Tool 創辦人 Lasha Antadze 表示，許多關於區塊鏈投票的假設已經過時。他告訴 Cointelegraph，批評者沒有考慮到有效的 ZK 證明和 L2 的到來，這可以透過保護選舉過程免受操縱和操縱指控來顯著增強選舉安全性。

Antadze believes that blockchain-based voting could be a valuable tool to restore trust in the electoral system, especially in the wake of the 2020 US presidential election, which saw former President Donald Trump repeatedly alleging that the election was rigged. The amplification of these claims on social media has left many Americans distrustful of the election results.

Antadze 認為，基於區塊鏈的投票可能是恢復對選舉制度信任的寶貴工具，特別是在 2020 年美國總統大選之後，前總統唐納德·川普多次指控選舉被操縱。這些說法在社群媒體上的放大讓許多美國人對選舉結果產生了不信任。

According to Verified Voting, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to guarding fair US elections, the evidence, audits and investigations upheld the election outcome, concluding that the current paper-based election system functioned effectively.

致力於維護美國公平選舉的非營利、無黨派組織「驗證投票」表示，證據、審計和調查支持了選舉結果，得出的結論是當前紙質選舉制度有效運作。

The nonprofit claimed that internet voting is highly vulnerable to a range of cybersecurity threats, which could jeopardize the integrity of votes, enable undetectable vote tampering or expose election servers to hacking. However, new techniques are tackling these concerns.

該非營利組織聲稱，網路投票非常容易受到一系列網路安全威脅的影響，這可能會危及投票的完整性，導致無法偵測的投票篡改或使選舉伺服器遭受駭客攻擊。然而，新技術正在解決這些問題。

“The 2020 election was a watershed year for election security,” Verified Voting told Cointelegraph, underscoring that paper ballots remain the gold standard for secure elections in the US today.

“2020 年選舉是選舉安全的分水嶺”，Verified Voting 告訴 Cointelegraph，並強調紙質選票仍然是當今美國安全選舉的黃金標準。

Antadze’s Freedom Tool is among several blockchain-based voting solutions that aim to address these concerns and enhance the integrity of the electoral process. Freedom Tool enables citizens to cast their votes using their smartphones. To ensure authenticity, users must place biometric chips from their passports or ID documents near their phones to verify their identity, nationality and age. Once these requirements are met, users can vote, and the transaction will be recorded on the blockchain to register the vote.

Antadze 的 Freedom Tool 是多種基於區塊鏈的投票解決方案之一，旨在解決這些問題並增強選舉過程的完整性。 Freedom Tool 讓公民能夠使用智慧型手機投票。為了確保真實性，使用者必須將護照或身分證件上的生物辨識晶片放在手機附近，以驗證他們的身份、國籍和年齡。一旦滿足這些要求，用戶就可以投票，交易將記錄在區塊鏈上以登記投票。

Having one’s identity and political affiliation intertwined in an open blockchain may not seem wise. However, “ZK cryptography impedes the vote on the app and the ID document to be related,” noted Antadze. Once the smart contract checks that the voting parameters are met, a unique token proof is created using ZK-proof verification that contains no identifier or link to the personal information.

將一個人的身份和政治立場交織在開放的區塊鏈中似乎並不明智。然而，「ZK 密碼學阻礙了應用程式的投票和身分證件的關聯，」Antadze 指出。一旦智慧合約檢查投票參數是否滿足，就會使用 ZK 證明驗證建立唯一的令牌證明，其中不包含識別碼或個人資訊的連結。

One common ZK-proof vulnerability was its reliance on centralized servers, which hackers could target. However, since around 2022, new technological updates have made ZK verification possible on smaller smartphone processors.

一種常見的 ZK 證明漏洞是其對集中式伺服器的依賴，駭客可以將其作為攻擊目標。然而，自 2022 年左右以來，新技術更新使得 ZK 驗證在較小的智慧型手機處理器上成為可能。

“Having a smaller proof that can be verified on a smartphone is a game-changer,” Antadze said, adding that thanks to this new development, it’s possible to offer an entirely fragmented architecture resistant to hacks, as there would be no single point of attack.

Antadze 表示：「擁有可以在智慧型手機上驗證的較小證明是一個遊戲規則改變者。」他補充說，由於這一新的發展，可以提供一個完全分散的架構來抵禦駭客攻擊，因為不會有單點攻擊。

Another crucial requirement for any election system is the capability to audit the election process. The system must be able to demonstrate its integrity and accuracy in the event of any allegations or disputes.

任何選舉系統的另一個關鍵要求是審計選舉過程的能力。在發生任何指控或爭議時，系統必須能夠證明其完整性和準確性。

Verified Voting asserted that the most secure, trustworthy election procedure involves using paper ballots tabulated by certified machines and subsequently verified through risk-limited audits to confirm the election results.

驗證投票聲稱，最安全、最值得信賴的選舉程序涉及使用經過認證的機器製成的紙質選票，然後通過風險有限的審計進行驗證，以確認選舉結果。

“The fundamental requirements of a democratic election align well with blockchain technology, especially given the absence of a central authority,” Mohammad Hajian Berenjestanaki, a PhD researcher at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and co-author of a 2024 study on blockchain-based e-voting systems, told Cointelegraph.

「民主選舉的基本要求與區塊鏈技術非常吻合，特別是在沒有中央權威的情況下，」博岑-博爾扎諾自由大學的博士研究員、2024 年區塊鏈研究的合著者Mohammad Hajian Berenjestanaki說。

However, there is a catch to this transparency: Enhancing the audibility of votes can complicate efforts to keep them private, noted Berenjestanaki, adding that “ZK-rollups ensure that privacy is maintained while allowing for the verification of votes without disclosing sensitive information.”

然而，這種透明度有一個問題：Berenjestanaki 指出，提高投票的可聽性可能會使保持投票隱私的努力變得複雜，並補充說，「ZK-rollups 確保隱私得到維護，同時允許在不洩露敏感資訊的情況下驗證投票。

Verified Voting acknowledged that blockchains can secure information after votes are received. However, it pointed out a significant flaw: The potential for offchain threats before votes are entered into

驗證投票承認區塊鏈可以在收到投票後保護資訊。然而，它指出了一個重大缺陷：投票開始前潛在的鏈下威脅