“This pilot program will help us identify the feasibility and interest of using this technology in future City elections, and Council believes this could enhance accessibility, increase voter participation and streamline the election process,” according to Mayor Kevin Hartke.
As part of the pilot program, officials with the City of Chandler asked residents to download an app and vote in the mock election, where those who participated answered questions about city bonds, and whether or not they’d use the technology in a real election.
The results, as well as the auditing process, was instantaneous.
“You remember in 2018 and 2020, we had these ballot dumps in the middle of the night, and these big events where we didn’t know the results for weeks. With blockchain, it’s instantaneous and it’s auditable,” said Chandler Vice Mayor Mark Stewart.
The results were audited in real-time, printing and matching ballots from the online ledger.