Blockchain May Help Protect Elections in New York
Clyde Vanel, a New York lawmaker, is hoping to use blockchain technology to make elections safer. He introduced a new bill, Assembly Bill A7716, that would ask the New York State Board of Elections to look into how blockchain could help protect voter records and election results.
The bill, which is being reviewed by the Assembly Election Law Committee, would require the Board of Elections to create a report within one year. The report would explore how blockchain could improve election security.
Blockchain is a technology that creates a secure and unchangeable record of information. The bill defines it as a "decentralized, cryptographically secured, immutable, and auditable ledger" that provides "uncensored truth." The Board of Elections would work with experts in blockchain, cybersecurity, voter fraud, and election systems to understand how blockchain could be used in elections. The report would also look at how other states are using blockchain for elections.
If the bill moves forward, it would have to pass the full Assembly, go through the Senate, and be signed by the governor before it becomes law. For now, the bill is still under review and may be discussed or changed.
This is not the first time Vanel has pushed for this idea. Similar bills have been introduced since 2017, but none have passed. This year’s bill comes at a time when other states are also exploring how blockchain can be used in public services, with some states focusing on areas like cryptocurrency and financial regulations.
In Utah, for example, lawmakers recently passed a bill that protects cryptocurrency activities and infrastructure, though it removed language that would have allowed the state to invest in Bitcoin. At the federal level, President Trump’s recent executive order focused on creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, and several states have introduced bills about Bitcoin reserves.
