Why Aren’t We Voting on the Blockchain Yet?

Could the US election have been run on the Scroll zkEVM? Can Peanut the Squirrel have saved the world if he was still alive?

Why Aren’t We Voting on the Blockchain Yet? 

In 2008, I was finishing my undergrad degree, writing my end of year dissertation on “How will the internet change democracy?” Outside the ivory towers, the world was about to be swept by a financial crisis. Unbeknownst to me, a pseudonymous figure with a Japanese encrypted name had released the Bitcoin whitepaper, a response to the chaos.

Fast forward to 2024, blockchain as a product has matured far beyond anyone’s expectations. As I’m trying to pick between a red dress and a blue dress for the election watch party, I can’t help but wonder: How will blockchain/ in particular the zkEVM change democracy? And Could we have run the election on Scroll?

If you’re new to crypto, “zkEVM” might sound technical, but it’s a game-changer. Here’s why:

• zk stands for zero-knowledge proofs, a cryptographic method that lets you prove something without revealing all the details. For voting, it means proving you cast a vote without exposing who you voted for.

• EVM is the Ethereum Virtual Machine, the engine that powers decentralized apps (dApps), DeFi protocols, NFTs, and potentially voting systems.

Together, zkEVM enables Ethereum to handle massive transactions efficiently and securely. It’s scalable (no network congestion), secure (verified votes on-chain), and trustless (no third-party interference).

Why aren’t Americans voting on-chain yet? Can zkEVM Handle Millions of Votes?

Yes, zkEVM can manage large-scale transactions like a national election. Imagine millions of Americans voting on-chain, with each vote processed efficiently and transparently. No missing ballots, no tampering. The technology is ready—the logistics are not quite there yet. 

What Needs to Happen for On-Chain Voting?

While zkEVM has potential, national-scale on-chain voting requires overcoming several hurdles:

1. Digital Identity: We need secure, decentralized digital IDs to ensure only eligible voters cast ballots, while maintaining voter privacy.

2. User Experience: The voting system must be easy for everyone to use, regardless of technical skill.

3. Internet Access: Reliable internet access is essential, but some areas still lack this. Voting must be inclusive.

4. Trust: Governments and voters need confidence in blockchain systems. This requires pilot programs, education, and rigorous testing.

5. Legal Framework: Voting laws need to recognize blockchain votes, with systems in place to resolve disputes and ensure compliance.

Is there on-chain voting anywhere?

We’re close, but not there yet. zkEVM is being tested in smaller-scale applications like DeFi and NFTs, proving it can handle complex operations. But voting is mission-critical, requiring near-perfect execution. More testing, trust-building, and infrastructure are needed before we see elections on the blockchain. The airdrop process is as close to an organic voting process as we are going to get. Millions of wallets (behind them might be people) claim and vote, putting their token where their month is. 

The Next Decade: AI, Blockchain, Elections, Where is this all going? 

The next decade will be marked by real-world blockchain applications, with blockchain serving as the infrastructure that powers AI systems. Think of blockchain as the highway, and AI as the Lambos speeding down it.

The real question we should be pondering now is: How will blockchain and AI change democracy?

• Can on-chain attestations secure voter identities?

• Will decisions become more granular and ad-hoc, reducing bureaucracy?

• Will this create more efficient governance, or open the door for AI generated demagogues?

We won’t know the answers for another decade. But in the meantime, on-chain voting will be tested in DAOs like Scroll DAO (https://gov.scroll.io/info), where you can run for delegate by proving your worth on forums. With enough support, you could help change constitutions, sway major decisions, and maybe one day, lead the community.

Blockchain isn’t just about financial transactions—it’s about shaping the future of governance. The experiments happening today in DAOs may very well define how we run our democracies tomorrow, just saying, what if?