Just too be clear, I am not a blockchain expert - just someone with a tech background who has read up enough to understand the basics as shared here. Also, blockchain provides an important element of a secure voting system - the distributed and secure database - but a full voting system would include many other elements which would need to be defined.
I skimmed over the 47 page USPS patent application and it describes to a number of potential implementations. But to the point about sending ballots out to every voter, I think this can be viewed as at least two distinct processes. One is the voting process itself, acquiring, transmitting, and totalizing the votes for each voter on each ballot item. This is where the secure distributed database provided by blockchain comes in, and a number of implementations are described. This is basically a technical issue where blockchain seems to be a very good solution.
The other process is that of verification and authentication to determine that an individual is eligible to vote in a given election. I think we all would agree this is a weakness today (even outside Chicago!) and blockchain technology would not directly address this issue because it is a functional issue, not a technical one. However, blockchain provides the tools by which identitity services could be securely implemented. It’s a bit like deciding to build a house out of brick, but the mason has to be given plans to work from. But the combination of a good design and brick construction will produce a more durable house than one made from wood.
It seems to me that moving to a blockchain-based secure voting system is a way of forcing the weaknesses in the voter authentication process to be addressed, while the blockchain technology itself provides the robust infrastructure upon which to build it.
Interesting. It’ll be fun to watch what happens. Thanks, bb.