Patrick Bet-David, founder and CEO of Valuetainment, believes blockchain can significantly enhance voting systems worldwide. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and Bitcoin, Bet-David suggests new technology could update the outdated voting process, improving transparency and accessibility, and boosting public confidence in election results.
The entrepreneur shared his views in a YouTube video, emphasizing blockchain as “a shared immutable ledger” ideal for voting. He notes that some U.S. states have already piloted blockchain voting systems. For example, West Virginia became the first to use blockchain for federal elections, with other states like Utah, Colorado, and Oregon following suit.
Bet-David highlights the benefits of a decentralized ledger that records votes, ensuring immutability, meaning each cryptographically signed vote “cannot be altered without detection.” He mentions pilot programs in Denver, Colorado, allowing overseas voters and active-duty military personnel to vote via a blockchain-based app.
Internationally, blockchain voting apps have been tested in Switzerland, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, and Russia. However, Bet-David acknowledges challenges such as technical and security issues, scalability, cyber-attacks, and legal and regulatory hurdles, especially concerning voter anonymity and privacy. States like New York, California, and Texas have expressed concerns.
Despite these challenges, Bet-David argues that with trust in the U.S. government plummeting from 73% in 1958 to about 16% today, new technology might be key to engaging the younger generation in the voting process.