Blockchain Based E-Voting Recording System Design

Rifa Hanifatunnisa (Author) Budi Rahardjo

School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics
Bandung Institute of Technology Bandung Institute of Technology
Bandung, West Java, Indonesia Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
rifahani@students.itb.ac.id rahard@gmail.com

sound votes made by voting in the choice of letter sound, then

Abstract — Increasingly digital technology in the present
helped many people lives. Unlike the electoral system, fold the ballot and put it in the ballot box.
there are many conventional uses of paper in its The vote count in conventional elections can take 3 to 7
implementation. The aspect of security and transparency working days depending on the speed of sending the sound to
is a threat from still widespread election with the a higher level [2]. At each stage of the vote count that is in the
conventional system (offline). General elections still use a total series of votes or not. The most frequent problem in
centralized system, there is one organization that manages elections is the issue of data manipulation, security, and
it. Some of the problems that can occur in traditional
transparency.
electoral systems is with an organization that has full
control over the database and system, it is possible to With the development of technology, the use of technology in
tamper with the database of considerable opportunities. overcoming the problems that occur becomes important, as
well as the intricacies of the collection process [3]. Security is
Blockchain technology is one of solutions, because it
embraces a decentralized system and the entire database always the biggest concern for an e-voting system. There
are owned by many users. Blockchain itself has been used should be no e-voting system to secure data and should be able
in the Bitcoin system known as the decentralized Bank to withstand potential attacks.
system. By adopting blockchain in the distribution of Blockchain technology is one solution that can be used to
databases on e-voting systems can reduce one of the reduce the problems that occur in voting. Blockchain has been
cheating sources of database manipulation. This research used in Bitcoin transaction database systems [4]. Blockchain is
discusses the recording of voting result using blockchain
distributed, unchangeable and transparent ledger who can’t
algorithm from every place of election. Unlike Bitcoin with
its Proof of Work, this thesis proposed a method based on deny the truth [5]. Consists of several blocks that are linked to
a predetermined turn on the system for each node in the each other and in sequence. The block is related because from
built of blockchain. the previous hash used in the next block making process, the
attempt to change the information will be more difficult as it
Keywords — e-voting; blockchain; database; security has to change the next blocks [6]. The database was made
public, acquired by many users. The circumstances of
I. INTRODUCTION cheating, the database owned by users who do the cheating
The use of technology has become commonplace at this point will be different from the database owned by other users. Then
in helping to meet human needs. The increasing use of the existing database on the user is not valid.
technology has brought new challenges in the process of In the Bitcoin system, a mining process is required. In this
democracy as most people today don’t trust their governments, research, a method that use turn rules for each node in
making elections very important in modern democracy [1]. blockchain creation, with the assured importance of each node
Elections have a great power in determining the fate of a joining the blockchain. This research is on the recording of the
nation or an organization. results of e-voting conducted after the election process is
Simple purpose of the election is the channeling of popular completed. The data corresponding to the results on each node
sovereignty as a representative democracy. Every voter who distributed under the blockchain permission protocol.
likes to come to polling stations and shows voter cards to the
II. RELATED WORK
committee and election supervisors to indicate whether the
choice is valid or not, after the disaster as a legitimate option A. Blockchain and Its Use
then the committee provides a vote for the choice of botanical
Blockchain is a distributed database that stores data records
that continue to grow, controlled by multiple entities.
Blockchain (distributed ledger) is a trustworthy service system
to a group of nodes or non-trusting parties, generally
blockchain acts as a reliable and reliable third party to keep
things together, mediate exchanges, and provide secure
computing machines [7]. There are several types of
Blockchain [7] ie.
1. Permissionless Blockchain, like Bitcoin or Ethereum, all
can be a user or run a node, anyone can "write", and anyone
can participate in a consensus in determining the state's Figure 1. Blockchain Illustration
validity. Source : www.blockchain.org
2. Permission Blockchain inversely proportional to the
The voting process is done by way of the miner choosing one
previous type, operated by known entities such as consortium
of several new blocks and then producing the discovery of a
blockchains, where consortium members or stakeholders in a
longer chain branch. Then the entire Bitcoin system uses the
particular business context operate a Blockchain permission
longest branch and deletes all other branches. Unused blocks
network. This Blockchain permission system has means to
are called block orphans and become invalid, also all
identify nodes that can control and update data together, and
transactions that have been recorded in the block orphan will
often has ways to control who can issue transactions.
be inserted into the new block. Blockchain comes with a
3. Private blockchain is a special blockchain permitted by one
variety of different types, but has several common elements :
entity, where there is only one domain trust.
• Blockchain is distributed digitally to a number of computers
The widely known Blockchain technology currently exists in
in almost real time.
the Bitcoin system which is the public ledger of all
• Blockchain is decentralized, the entire recording is available
transactions. Bitcoin is a decentralized, peer-to-peer digital
for all users and peer to peer network users. This eliminates
payments system based on the first public key cryptography
the need for central authorities, such as banks, as well as
proposed by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008 [4]. Bitcoin uses a
trusted intermediaries.
consensus protocol called PoW (Proof of Work) based on
• Blockchain uses many participants in the network to reach
cryptocurrency to ensure only legitimate transactions are
consensus.
allowed within the system. Where each transaction is
Participants use their computers to authenticate and verify
calculated its hash value and entered into a database called
every new block. For example, to ensure that transactions not
Blockchain as described in fig.1. To connect between one
occur more than once, new blocks are only adopted by the
block with another block, the hash value of the previous block
network after the majority of its members agree that they are
inserted into the next block then calculated its hash value. The
valid.
hash value must meet certain requirements called difficulty in
• Blockchain uses cryptography and digital signatures to prove
order to be considered a legitimate block. Searching for hash
identity.
values that match those requirements is called Proof Of Work.
Transactions can be traced back to the cryptographic identity,
Bitcoin stores all transaction information in a database called
which is theoretically anonymous, but can be re-linked with
blockchain in the internet network. Blockchain consists of
real-life identity using reverse engineering techniques.
several blocks associated with each other and in sequence as
• Blockchain has a difficult (but possibly) mechanism for
shown in fig.1 The blocks are related because the hash values
altering stored records.
of the previous block are used in the next block creation
Although all data can be read and new data can be written,
process. The effort to change the information will be more
previously existing data on blockcahin can’t be changed
difficult because it must change the next blocks. The first
theoretically unless the rules embedded in the protocol allow
block is called the genesis block.
such changes by requiring more than 50 percent of the
In creating new blocks, miner required in the mining process
network to approve the change.
using hash computing equipment. Miner compete against each
• A Blockchain is time-stamped.
other to create a new legitimate block in accordance with the
Transactions in blockchain are timed, so they are useful for
specified difficulty. A new block is generally generated by a
tracking and verifying information
miner but there are times when more than one new block is
• Blockchain is programmable.
generated by multiple miners that both meet the criteria even
Instructions embedded in blocks, such as "if" this "then" do
though the odds are small, making blockchain a fork. If this
that "else do this, allow transactions or other actions to be
case occurs, then the voting process conducted by the miners.
performed only if certain conditions are met, and may be have been used by Bitcoin are independently random and not
accompanied by additional digital data. counted [12]. However, in this e-voting system a blockchain
Blockchain has several advantages, which makes it a powerful permission is used, for nodes to be made the opposite of the
and secure alternative to distributed databases [8]: Bitcoin system and the Node in question is a place of general
• High Availability: Distributed completely to all nodes and election because the place of elections must be registered
stored in the database completely. before the commencement of implementation, it must be clear
• Verifiability and Integrity: Each block is verified and added the amount and the identity. This method aims to maintain
to the blockchain. Therefore, it will be difficult to change the data integrity, which is protected from manipulations that
data in it because all the blocks have to be changed value. should not happen in the election process.
• Easy in determining a common starting point, where to store
UPDATE CREATE NEW
data - which is always added to the last block in the longest VERIFICATION GET A TURN
DATABASE BLOCK
BROADCAST

chain.
These advantages make the blockchain attractive for use in Figure 2. Flow Chart Design
recording systems on e-voting.
This process begins when the voting process at each node has
B. Election and Blockchain Technology been completed. Before the election process begins, each node
generates a private key and a public key. Public key of each
E-voting currently widely used by some countries in the
node sent to all nodes listed in the election process, so each
world, for example in Estonia. The country has been using the
node has a public key list of all nodes. When the election
e-voting system since 2005 and in 2007 conducted online
occurs, each node gathers the election results from each voter.
voting and was the first country in the world to conduct online
When the selection process is completed, the nodes will wait
voting [9]. Since then, a legally binding online voting system
their turn to create the block. Upon arrival of the block on
has been implemented in various other organizations and
each node, then done verification to determine whether the
countries such as the Austrian Federation of Students,
block is valid.
Switzerland, the Netherlands, Norway, and so on [10]. But it
Once valid, then the database added with the data in the block.
still has considerable security issues and the selection is often
After the database update, the node will check whether the
canceled [8]. Although getting a lot of attention, online voting
node ID that was brought as a token is his or not. If the node
system is still not widely done in various countries around the
gets a turn, it will create and submit a block that has been
world. The traditional voting system has several problems
filled in digital signature to broadcast to all nodes by using
encountered when managed by an organization that has full
turn rules in blockchain creation to avoid collision and ensure
control over the system and database, therefore the
that all nodes into blockchain. The submitted block contains
organization can tamper with the database, and when the
the id node, the next id node as used as the token, timestamp,
database changes the traces can be easily eliminated [11].
voting result, hash of the previous node, and the digital
The solution is to make the database public, the database
signature of the node.
owned by many users, which is useful to compare if there are
any discrepancies. The solution to the e-voting system is A. Verification and Update
compatible with using blockchain technology. Blockchain The verification process starts from the acquisition of a block
technology allows in support of e-voting applications. Each containing the voting result, the previous hash of the hash
voter's vote serves as a transaction that can be created into value originating from the previously valid block, and the
blockchain that can work to track voice counting. In this way, digital signature. Then separated between electronic
everyone can approve the final calculation because of the open documents (result of voting and previous hash) and digital
blockchain audit trail, the vote count can be verified that no signature. The electronic document is calculated its hash
data is altered or deleted nor is there any unauthorized data value. As for the digital signature is done by decryption
entered in the blockchain. process using the public key of the node that makes the
electronic document. These two hash values are then
III. DESIGN
compared, if the value is the same then the digital signature is
This research proposed a database recording system on e- valid and the process continues, but if the value is not equal it
voting using blockchain technology. The blockchain is considered invalid and the system will refuse the block to
technology used mostly works the same as the blockchain continue the process.
technology contained in the Bitcoin system and focuses on After the digital signature verified and proven to be valid,
database recording. The nodes involved in Blockchain that further verification of the previous hash begins with the
capture of the voting result, and the previous hash contained in If the verification was successful, then the node (the node that
the most recent in database, and searched hash values with the is in turn) starts creating a new block which will then be
SHA-256 algorithm. Then compare it with the previous hash broadcast to all nodes in the system. In a condition where the
carried by the block being done verification. node that gets the turn is problematic either down in the
If the value is the same, then the hash value is valid and the network or so the system will not stop. In each node it has its
whole block is verified as a valid block and sent by the node own counter time according to the length of time the block is
contained in the system, but if the value is not the same added with the broadcast time then multiplied by the order of
considered invalid and the system will reject the block. The the nodes getting the turn. Node that get counter time = 0, then
verification process has proven to be valid, so the next process it can be interpreted that turn to make new block even though
is update the database by adding the existing data on the not get node ID as token because there is node or some
block. number of previous node has trouble. After the destination
Refer to the Bitcoin system using the Blockchain system, the node knows that its turn has arrived, it is verified to ensure
ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) method that the previously received block is from the legitimate node
is used in digital signature techniques, the small key size in in the system.
this method can support the desired security. In other words,
C. Create New Block and Broadcast
the key size of less than or more than 160 bits in the ECDSA
Nodes collect votes from each selector, then calculated and
algorithm is equivalent to security using RSA algorithm with a
combined with the previous hash as an electronic document in
key of 1024 bits, the performance on the signature using any
the system. The electronic document is processed with a hash
ECDSA algorithm component and its security level is always
function to generate a message digest. It encrypts the hash
faster than the RSA algorithm [13]. The ECDSA (Elliptic
value using the private key ECC. The proposed block refers to
Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) algorithm is the most
the research referred to [19] consisting of an id node, a
widely used elliptic curve-based digital signature scheme [14].
timestamp, and three validation sections also in this study plus
The algorithm was proposed by Scott Vanstone in 1992 [15],
an id node of the node that earned a next turn.
which is the analog elliptic curve of the Digital Signature
The validation section consists of the results of the general
Algorithm (DSA). The main advantage of ECDSA is the same
election in the node, followed by the hash of the previous
level of security as DSA but with a smaller key length,
block in the database, lastly inserted with a digital signature
allowing for faster calculation. This algorithm is a
which means the node uses the private key to encrypt the
development of generalized digital signature algorithm using
message digest of the block, which then broadcasts to the
ECC algorithm in digital signature generation process and its
entire node. After the nodes that get the turn finished creating
verification.
a new block, then the block is broadcast to all nodes. This
Breaking ECDSA is tantamount to solving the Elliptic Curve
process generates a new block performed by each node.
Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP) problem. Means, if one
The hash function is one of the cryptographic techniques in
manages to complete ECDLP, he will get Bitcoin access
calculating the unique value that can be likened to the
equivalent to 4.5 billion USD [16]. Selection of Kobiltz curves
fingerprint of a data. Two different documents will have
can have a real impact on ECDSA performance. The Kobiltz
different hash values. A document of any length will produce
curve belongs to the NIST Digital Signature Standard [17] and
a hash value of a certain length according to hash function
also recommended for government since 2000 [18]. This
algorithm used.
indicates that the curve provides adequate security in the use
SHA-256 is a standard hash function by NIST in 2002 as a
of ECDSA.
second-generation SHA and its description details can be
B. Get A Turn found in NIST standard documents [20]. SHA-256 will
The voting time will begin and end simultaneously. When the produce 256 bits output. The hash function used in the
voting time has been completed, each node will wait its turn to research is SHA-256, has been used by U.S. Government
create a block. The system will always broadcast the database Applications and is strongly recommended to use because it
followed by the ID of a given node. The node ID serves as a has been set under the law, with its algorithm has been proven
token, if a node detects that the broadcast ID belongs to it, safe including used with cryptographic algorithms and other
then it is the node's turn to create a new block. But to create a protocols that serve to secure documents containing
new block it is necessary to clarify that the sender of the block information [21].
is a valid sender and part of the election, then the verification In terms of security can be searched for possible attacks that
process is done. can be done on SHA-256. The possibility of brute force attack
work is 2L where L is the number of bits in Message Digest In the database stored data block of all nodes that each block
and Collision attack with possibly 2L / 2, in case of document contains the Node ID, Next ID Node, List of Votes, Previous
signing even the attacker is difficult to make a fake digital Hash, Digital Signature, and timestamp. In this simulation, if
signature even though the attacker makes it from the original the node is down on the network or any other disturbance that
document, the attacker must pair from Documents by working causes the node can’t broadcast block and then the node is
on each one for the complete document and the corrupted disabled and the system has succeeded in continuing the
document to obtain the private key holder [21]. The possibility sequence to the next node because there is counter time for
of a meet in the middle attack whose research has been done each node which when the time has expired counter, Then the
for the complexity of the time in one round is 2 253.3 and node knows that its turn has arrived "My Turn = TRUE".
requires 210.10 words of memory then for now this hash
method is still considered safe [22].

IV. EXPERIMENT RESULTS

In this research simulation is done by using Python
programming using PyCharms Community software. Tested
using small number of nodes for implementation using
visualization, and large scale without using visualization with
reference the number of election places in Indonesia. Data
storage designs of e-voting systems play a very important role
in real-world implementation, because how to think of storing
election data is key to protecting the privacy and integrity of
the data.

Figure 5. Time needed

In the implementation, it can be done two things if it has
finished recording all nodes for nodes that have not been
defaced because of that disorder. First, the node that is
experiencing the disturbance manually updating by simply
pressing the Broadcast command because it is difficult to
detect when the node is finished interrupt or the system can be
repeated to do the recording and only detects nodes whose
databases are still empty but in Blockchain done with the last
Block parameter stored on System because it can’t insert
nodes in an existing blockchain. In verification, there are two
Figure 4. Possible Database Storage variables that are used previous hash and digital signature
In the functional testing of the proposed method, it is possible checked.
to implement this method for e-voting records system because
V. CONCLUSION
the required storage is adequate for present-day computer
capacity with the results shown in the graph of Fig.4. This recording system occurs when the vote is over.
Reliability testing is performed with the required capacity Blockchain technology can be one solution to solve the
parameters on each number of nodes. With the number of problems that often occur in the electoral system. The use of
nodes tested ranging from 1 to 500,000 many nodes assuming hash values in recording the voting results of each polling
the number of nodes is the number of places of election then station linked to each other makes this recording system more
the resulting data as in fig.4. More number of nodes is directly secure and the use of digital signatures makes the system more
proportional to the capacity required in the process of reliable. The use of the sequence proposed in the blockchain
recording this e-voting. It is seen in fig.5 that more number of creation process in this system considers that in an electoral
nodes needed, it takes longer time for this e-voting record system not required for mining as in the Bitcoin system
system to work. because the voter data and numbers are clear and are not
allowed to select more than once, the proposed sequence
ensures that all nodes Which is legally connected and can
avoid collision in transportation. Also make sure all nodes that is 0.24 seconds and the average capacity required to store Data
have registered the results are included in the calculation of 216.04 Bytes for each block.
process. In terms of cost can also be more efficient because it
does not require equipment that is always remade in each References
election carried out. [1] S. Shah, Q. Kanchwala, and H. Mi, “Block Chain Voting System,”
2016.
Based on the design and the results of research conducted, it [2] Christian, “Desain Dan Implementasi Visual Cryptography Pada
can be concluded that the system is successful functionality of Sistem E-Voting Untuk Meningkatkan Anonymity,” Institut
Teknologi Bandung, 2017.
recording the e-voting system based on Blockchain [3] C. Dougherty, “[ Vote Chain : Secure Democratic Voting ],” 2016.
technology. The blockchain permission protocol used is a [4] S. Nakamoto, “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,”
distributed record-keeping system operated by known entities, Www.Bitcoin.Org, p. 9, 2008.
[5] D. A. Wijaya, Bitcoin Tingkat Lanjut. 2016.
in other words having the means to identify nodes that can [6] H. Watanabe, S. Fujimura, A. Nakadaira, Y. Miyazaki, A. Akutsu,
control and update data together in achieving the participants and J. J. Kishigami, “Blockchain contract: A complete consensus
using blockchain,” 2015 IEEE 4th Glob. Conf. Consum. Electron.
trust goals. The known entity in this system is any node that GCCE 2015, pp. 577–578, 2016.
has been registered before the process runs, with the public [7] C. Cachin and M. Vukolić, “Blockchain Consensus Protocols in the
Wild,” 2017.
key on each node owned by all the nodes in the system. [8] C. Meter, “Design of Distributed Voting Systems,” no. September,
Any data that is broadcast by the node that gets a turn is 2017.
always verified and updated its data by the recipient. The [9] A. Barnes, C. Brake, and T. Perry, “Digital Voting with the use of
Blockchain Technology Team Plymouth Pioneers – Plymouth
verification system performed by all receiving nodes can University,” 2016.
identify if there are previous hashes and / or public keys that [10] T. Martens, “Verifiable Internet Voting in Estonia,” October, pp. 1–
7, 2009.
are not registered in the database. The counter-time system [11] Follow My Vote, “Why Online Voting.” [Online]. Available:
becomes a parameter when there are nodes that have https://followmyvote.com/. [Accessed: 01-Jan-2017].
[12] L. J. Wu, K. Meng, S. Xu, S. Q. Li, M. Ding, and Y. F. Suo,
interference functioning in accordance with the design. Nodes “Democratic Centralism : a hybrid Blockchain architecture and its
that experience interference can perform manual data or applications in Energy Internet,” pp. 176–181, 2017.
[13] Gemalto, “Benefits of Elliptic Curve Cryptography,” no. March,
system broadcast can be repeated to update data when the 2012.
process has reached the last turn node. Each previous hash that [14] D. Hankerson, S. Vanstone, and A. J. Menezes, Guide to elliptic
is used by the block in the system has proven the same as the curve cryptography. 2004.
[15] A. G. Malvik and B. Witzoee, “Elliptic Curve Digital Signature
hash value on the calculation results using the data in the Algorithm and its Applications in Bitcoin,” pp. 1–5, 2016.
previous block. Each hash value in the previous block has [16] D. I. Wang, “Secure Implementation of ECDSA Signatures in
Bitcoin,” 2014.
been included in the calculation of hash values by the block [17] E. Barker and Q. Dang, “Recommendation for Key Management –
that gets a turn on the system, making anyone who wants to Part 3: Application-Specific Key Management Guidance,” NIST
Spec. Publ. 800-57, pp. 1–142, 2007.
change the data in the database will have difficulty because if [18] F. P. NIST, “Digital Signature Standard (DSS),” vol. 1, 2000.
one data is changed it must make changes to data on other [19] K. A. M. F. M. Kirby, “Votebook : A proposal for a blockchain-
blocks. based electronic voting system,” 2016.
[20] F. P. NIST, “FIPS 180-2 Secure Has Standard,” vol. 1, 2002.
In non-functional tested it was found that the system [21] Saylor.org, “SHA,” pp. 1–10, 2010.
implemented with Python programming language able to [22] Y. Sasaki, L. Wang, and K. Aoki, “Preimage Attacks on 41-Step
SHA-256 and 46-Step SHA-512,” pp. 1–15, 2009.
handle the whole process of recording the e-voting system
with the average time required for each node in creating block