USPS Files Blockchain Voting Patent

The United States Postal Service has been making headlines the last two weeks following statements made by President Trump regarding massive funding cutbacks. Unprecedented measures are required this election year, as COVID-19 poses a threat to voter safety and general voter turnout. In response to the President’s comments and the ambiguity surrounding the upcoming election,  the USPS has officially filed a patent detailing the use of blockchain technology to allow mail-in voting to be a secure alternative to physical voting.

“This development relates to a voting system that also incorporates the use of cryptographic elements, such as blockchains, as are used with cryptographic currencies, to track and secure the vote by mail system,”

The implications of a system described by the USPS go far beyond merely debating security and privacy, the political implications of electronic voting would be massive. Many political experts believe this would result in a paradigm shift, where the youngest demographic become the most coveted votes. The exact opposite is true today, as members of the 65+ demographic turned out in much stronger numbers for all forms of elections. In the 2016 election, the 65+ generation turned out at a rate of 71%, dwarfing the 42% by the 18-24 demographic.

By now, it should be obvious why President Trump is opposed to the idea of a blockchain based voting system. Although he undoubtedly has genuine concerns about election fraud, his biggest concern is assuredly regarding the consequences of giving more voting power to a younger demographic.