Earlier this year, the USPS took steps to graft traditional mail with blockchain technology to create a secure voting system that combines elements of both systems. To that end, a patent for its “Secure Voting System” was filed Friday, Feb. 7 and published mid-August. Then, shortly after the patent was made public, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy issued a statement claiming there would be a hold on any major operational changes to the delivery service.
The blockchain-based voting patent boasts the new system would easily establish verifiability of the needed information due to the nature of blockchain itself. It is unclear when such a system would be implemented, though, or if it would be feasible to set it up before the upcoming presidential election.
The patent lays out how the system would work: “A registered voter receives a computer readable code in the mail and confirms identity and confirms correct ballot information in an election. The system separates voter identification and votes to ensure vote anonymity, and stores votes on a distributed leger in a blockchain,” reads the patent. “In some embodiments, a blockchain allows the tracking of the various types of necessary data in a way that is secure and allows others to easily confirm that data has not been altered.”
In contrast to the USPS sentiment, representatives from the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence penned an open letter warning blockchain is unlikely to solve problems related to remote voting earlier this year. The scientists said blockchain architecture is insufficient, and might, in fact, create a “larger attack surface” for those looking to tamper with results.
FROM TWITTER
matt blazev@mattblaze Aug 16
"Yes, I've seen that USPS blockchain voting patent. No, I'm not concerned about it or spending much time thinking about it. Patents aren't business plans, and there are other things to worry about right now."
DeJoy, for his part, said the post office is ready to handle an election administered largely by mail even as pols have sparred over the matter. “The United States Postal Service will play a critical role this year in delivering election mail for millions of voters across the country. There has been a lot of discussion recently about whether the Postal Service is ready, willing and able to meet this challenge,” reads the statement from DeJoy. “The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall. Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic, we will deliver the nation’s election mail on time and within our well-established service standards.”
Per the announcement, DeJoy said the leadership taskforce on election mail will be expanded and it will continue working with local and state election officials to ensure “strong coordination” throughout the organization.
“I came to the Postal Service to make changes to secure the success of this organization and its long-term sustainability. I believe significant reforms are essential to that objective, and work toward those reforms will commence after the election,” he said. “In the meantime, there are some longstanding operational initiatives—efforts that predate my arrival at the Postal Service—that have been raised as areas of concern as the nation prepares to hold an election in the midst of a devastating pandemic. To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded.”
DeJoy said, going forward; retail hours at the post office will not change, processing equipment and collection boxes will stay put and no facilities will be closing at this time. Further, additional, “standby resources” will be available as needed beginning Thursday, Oct. 1.
