Catalan’s Government To Use Blockchain Technology For Their E-Voting System

In early October of this year, the Generalitat of Catalonia passed a preparatory bill to set an e-voting system for citizens living overseas in primary elections and other voting evens in the independent community. This Monday the head of Catalan government’s citizen participation council says that they are thinking of using blockchain for that voting system.

Ismael Peña-López, the director of Citizen Participation of the Government of Catalonia, said that their government is planning to start an external e-voting system by 2020, which not only will be available for people living offshores but inland too.

Fostering non-formal and informal democratic participation. From mass democracy to the networks of democracy.

PART I. Man-mass and post-democracyhttps://t.co/A473MBuXDl

— Ismael Peña-López (@ictlogist) November 18, 2018

Peña-López is a professor of Law and Political Science at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and is proficient with the civil discourse of not only his country but the world in general too. He says that the e-voting system is still being analyzed and pending a final decision.

“An interesting option is to use blockchain. […] The Generalitat has not made a clear commitment to the blockchain and is still exploring what options there are before deciding.”

He even stated that even if the government doesn't use blockchain technology and goes with any other system, it will still inculcate trust in the public sphere.

“It's an issue of awareness. The Government is more respectful than a trade. I would like to think that we are able to convince people that [it] is reliable.”

Catalan has been forward when it comes to adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain. In October this year, controversial Catalan leader and politician, Carles Puigdemont, was asking for Bitcoin donations in order to avoid scrutiny. These donations can be made through the website defensaexili.org which is registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Additionally, the website has a payment system designed by Peter Sunde, who has been already sentenced $30 million Swedish Krona.