Jackson and Umatilla Counties from the state of Oregon become the latest to join the fleet to incorporate mobile-based voting powered by blockchain technology and will launch the mobile voting pilot in November.
Tusk Philanthropies (TP), an entity that works with state legislative campaigns to advance mobile voting and anti-hunger programs across the US, joins hands with Jackson and Umatilla Counties to carry out the operation.
Several U.S. states have already adopted several blockchain initiatives and implemented it in various government departments to bring transparent and efficient digital transformation. With Jackson and Umatilla, Oregon will become the latest to join the list of U.S. states that adopted blockchain.
Jackson and Umatilla counties will become the fourth and fifth, jurisdictions nationwide to collaborate with TP as a part of the company’s efforts to ease and implement mobile-based voting. The pilot will enable active-duty military (including their eligible dependents) and overseas voters to vote through their smartphones in an upcoming special elections.
Tusk Philanthropies also previously collaborated with West Virginia to launch a secure military voting application and made it possible for the state to offer blockchain-based mobile voting in a federal election in 2018. The County of Denver and Utah County were the second and third city and county that TP partnered with and successfully piloted blockchain-backed mobile voting.
Traditionally, U.S. troops and overseas citizens serving outside the country have to go through the troublesome and time-consuming process of sending in an absentee paper ballot for voting; however, the new pilot is aiming to eliminate the traditional process of voting allowing overseas participants to vote electronically during the election with their smartphones. The voter will also be notified once his vote is received and counted.
“I believe voting is an honor and a privilege, a fundamental right as a United States Citizen,” said Chris Walker, Jackson County Clerk. “The County Clerk is the guardian of the people’s voice and will. It is my commitment to provide voters with the ability to access and cast their ballots in a safe and secure manner.”
Dan Lonai, Director of Umatilla County Administrative Services commented that “In an effort to ensure that individuals who are serving our country overseas can vote, Umatilla County is piloting a project to allow them to vote digitally using their cell phones and facial recognition technology.”
Voatz, a mobile elections platform powered by military-grade technology, and National Cybersecurity Center have also partnered with Tusk Philanthropies to implement the secure blockchain-powered voting.
