Blockchain startup Expanse affirms claim to develop a system that will deliver honest, transparent and credible elections as it seeks government partnership to enhance its programme.
Electoral fraud, election manipulation, or vote rigging is an illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favoured candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates, or both.
The endemic problem
Across the globe, the list of electoral processes that have been stained with accusations and challenges of irregularities seems endless. Even though such incidence have been more prevalent in developing democracies, the developed world cannot be totally exempted.
As recent as 2012, in the Russian presidential election, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe observers assessed the voting on the election day positively overall, but assessed the vote count negatively in almost one-third of polling stations due to procedural irregularities.
Christopher Franko of Borderless Technology says to Cointelegraph:
“In 2012 The Pew Research Center did a survey, and the result was only 30% of Americans think votes are counted accurately. So, we are creating a mock general election dapp to show off the Expanse DAO's proposal voting module.”
Trump’s accusation of rigging
Ahead of the US Presidential Elections which comes up later this year, the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump has warned against ‘rigged’ elections. This he did by tweeting: “The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places – SAD.”
At campaign events over the weekend, as controversy over the groping claims continued, Trump described US democracy as “an illusion” and repeated his calls for people to watch polling stations, which have raised concerns of illegal voter intimidation on election day and possible violent unrest after the result is known.
The acclaimed solution
The Founder of Expanse and Borderless Technology, Christopher Franko tells Cointelegraph that his company is developing a voting module that could use the Blockchain to prevent electoral inconsistencies and irregularities.
Franko describes the coming elections as the most polarized election he has ever witnessed. He also notes that there is one thing that the majority of people agree on. “Most people believe without a shadow of a doubt that elections are completely rigged,” Franko says. However, he notes that with Blockchain technology, everyone could have honest, transparent, and immutable election. “People of democratic states deserve that peace of mind, it should be a human right.”
Franko says that his company’s development is work in progress and should be ready within one week from the time of writing, just in time for the election.
“Our plan is to reach out for government grants to help fund the software further.” He concludes.