Moscow University To Pilot Blockchain Based E-Voting For Student Council Elections

A new blockchain project is set to be tested by the Authorities of Moscow, with regards to the upcoming university student council elections in late June 2019. They are hoping to pilot a blockchain-based electronic voting system for the same.

The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Moscow Department of Information Technology (DIT) and the Moscow City Election Commission (Mosgorizbirkom). If successful, it might form the base of the city’s upcoming mayoral election.

Blockchain’s use in voting is nothing new. Previously, US city of West Virginia had held blockchain based mobile voting for Presidential elections in 2020. It is only now, that the process has become popular with the Russians.

The bill detailing the use of blockchain in e-voting system, was submitted by the city council of Moscow in February. The Russian Duma passed a bill in April, allowing Moscow City Duma to conduct such e-voting during the next elections on Sept. 8.

Artem Kostyrko, DIT deputy head has declared that the technical aspects of the pilot program will go to Mosizbirkom in mid-May for approval. Only when the approval has been granted and the legislation has been passed, can the DIT launch the program in public.

The Moscow City Duma plans to use distributed ledger technology (DLT) to safeguard the process and results of e-voting. Previously, we had reported that Thailand was to introduce blockchain in e-voting. Many other parts of the world have successfully piloted blockchain based e-voting, including Crypto Valley.

Coming back to Russia, there are still doubts regarding Russia’s Plans For Crypto Adoption. There is a need for better and more concrete regulations in the country. Notably, a blockchain-enabled platform for e-voting was launched by United Russia, the ruling party of the Russian Federation, back in March.