Japanese firm Layer X Labs develops blockchain-based e-voting protocol

The new system will bring blockchain security and immutability to local elections as well as reinforce Tsukuba City’s "smart city" initiative

Japanese firm Layer X has announced the development of an electronic voting system based on a blockchain protocol as part of a wider “smart city” initiative being pursued by Tsukuba City.

The Tokyo-based company said that the new system will meet the technical needs of electronic voting, including the prevention of double voting, accurate storage of voting content, voter confidentiality, and management of operation records.

In addition, it will enable voters to check their own voting results, providing the cryptographic ability to verify that the recording and aggregation processes for the votes on the blockchain network was performed correctly.

Layer X explained that, through its new system, it seeks to push for a shift towards electronic voting in local governments. It also indicated that it is working to strengthen efforts aimed at solving technical problems related to the digital transformation (DX) of various administrative services.

Layer X also announced that it will join the Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture smart council, which aims to transform Tsukuba into a "smart city" and move it into the digital age.

The Coronavirus pandemic has prompted many countries and local states to develop blockchain-based online voting options. Russia has already experimented with blockchain-based electronic voting and has also published the source code for the platform on GitHub.

Likewise, the French commune of Verneuil-sur-Seine took a vote on a road project through a blockchain-based app, and the Michigan Democratic Party announced a successful electronic voting experiment via the blockchain-based Voatz platform.