As concerns regarding the integrity of the upcoming US presidential election 2020 surge, officials are open to trying innovative approaches that promise security. It appears an alternative might be available thanks to a groundbreaking blockchain voting technology. Those who are familiar with cryptocurrency will understand the security measures imposed by the system to validate if the data has not been tampered with in any way. With the challenge brought about by COVID-19, this year's election might possibly consider its use.

Last week, a Utah resident named Josh Daniels cast his vote for Brock Pierce using a platform called Voatz. The latter was developed by Nimit Sawhney in 2014 as a side project. Utah County Clerk Amelia Powers Gardner spearheaded the initiative 20 months ago as a means to cut costs without compromise to security. "In true pioneer spirit, Utah County is honoured to be the first place where a Blockchain vote was cast in a presidential general election," she noted according to a report in Fox News.

Gardner added: "We are proud to lead our state and the nation on this innovative and cutting edge technology." Meanwhile, Daniels stated: "This is a historic day not only for ballot integrity and election systems but for liberty and the republic itself."

The former "Mighty Ducks" child actor is now a cryptocurrency entrepreneur and is an independent candidate for this year's presidential polls. He said: "The problem with the internet is that you can copy anything – songs, videos, pictures. Internet technology does not allow for the information to stay in one place only."

He added: "But blockchain is a database at its core, and that database is impervious to any type of duplication, meaning it cannot be tampered with and there can only be one version of it, so when we talk about voting, it is perfectly suited to elections. It ensures the absolute integrity of our elections; it ensures voters can vote with confidence."

Donald Trump
His Covid-19 diagnosis has left President Donald Trump (pictured in his conference room at Walter Reed Medical Center) sidelined from campaiging just a month before the November 3 election Photo: The White House / Tia DUFOUR

Cybersecurity firms are already on high alert as potential threats are expected to rise in the coming weeks. In a related report, Microsoft recently shut down a massive ransomware operation that would have affected outlets that provide election information. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have likewise unveiled their plans to help make the 2020 elections free from misleading information.