Blockchain E-Voting Pilot Kicks Off with Student Council Elections in Moscow Next Month

Moscow authorities have intentions to commence and test run blockchain based e-voting. The e-voting would be used for the forthcoming council elections of the university student body.

Approval Process

The test run protocols would likely be applied to the next mayoral election of Moscow city, as reported by TASS.

Based on the report, the test run is scheduled to be technically backed by Moscow’s information technology department (DIT), and their city’s election commission (Mosgorizbirkom).

The deputy head of DIT Artem Kostyrko said that the test run specifications will be forwarded to the election commission by the middle of this month.

Upon the passing of required legislation, and approval of proposed specifications by the commission, Kostyrko said that then the program would be publicly launched.

The Moscow city council in February proposed a bill for a blockchain based e-voting. Following the bill submission, the bill was passed by the city Duma, to be utilized during the forthcoming elections on September 8th. The process and outcome of the e-voting process, with the use of the DLT technology, is to be protected by the city Duma of Moscow.

Nationwide Adoption

The ruling party of Russia, I.e. United Russia initiated a blockchain based e-voting platform in March.

As blockchain and cryptocurrency activities remain unregulated in Russia, the President has given a July 1st deadline for adoption of regulations.