The framework and implementation plan of electronic voting system in U.S. federal elections

Based on the Principle of “Registration–Transmission–Computation” Separation of Powers

Author: Bob Li

I. General Principles

This proposal introduces an electronic voting framework for the U.S. federal elections.
The core idea is to establish a separation of powers among Registration, Transmission, and Computation, aiming to achieve three primary objectives:

  • Fairness: Ensure that both the voting process and counting results are open, fair, and verifiable

  • Security: Effectively resist hacking attacks through distributed and independent server structures

  • Ease of Use: Provide voters with a simple, efficient experience compatible with both on-site and remote voting

This could be the only feasible institutional framework to safeguard the fairness of U.S. federal elections.

II. Why Choose Electronic Voting

Many people instinctively reject “electronic voting,” assuming it is “unsafe” or “unreliable.”
In reality, this is a misunderstanding:

  • Reducing human error: Electronic voting minimizes mistakes in manual ballot counting

  • Limiting manipulation: Reduces intermediate steps between voting and counting, minimizing human interference

  • Traceable evidence: All voting data and activity records are logged, making both legal and illegal actions fully traceable

In other words, electronic voting is not only more efficient but also more verifiable.

III. Security and Anti-Fraud Mechanisms

1. Preventing Hacking Attacks

  • Municipal government servers and the federal electronic voting servers are separated

  • Hackers would need to compromise multiple layers of servers, significantly increasing difficulty

  • Every intrusion attempt would be recorded, leaving digital forensic evidence

  • The U.S. Congress can establish specific legislation imposing severe penalties for interfering with federal elections

2. Preventing Candidate Manipulation

  • All candidates, media outlets, and research institutions access identical voting data via the same API

  • Independent vote calculations allow mutual cross-verification

  • Transparent data flow minimizes the possibility of centralized manipulation

IV. Institutional Framework of the Separation of Powers

1. Municipal Government Websites — Registration Authority

  • Verify and register voter information: name, gender, date of birth, security questions, email, etc.

  • Publicly disclose the total residential population, registered voters, expected in-person votes, and expected mail-in ballots

  • All registration information is stored exclusively on municipal servers and not uploaded to the electronic voting system

2. STPvote Electronic Voting Website — Transmission Authority

  • Responsible for issuing Voting Passes

  • Provides API interfaces to transmit voting data in real time to all servers

  • Does not store or calculate any voting results, serving only as a data relay platform

3. Candidate and Independent Institution Servers — Computation Authority

  • Each candidate, media outlet, and research institution sets up independent servers

  • Voting data is received via APIs in real time

  • Vote counting is conducted independently, enabling cross-verification and preventing manipulation

V. Voting Process Design

(1) Registration Phase

  • Municipal governments use API interfaces to obtain district numbers and voting IDs from the electronic voting site

  • Generate Voting Passes; QR codes include district number, voter name, and date of birth

  • Voting Passes can be printed or sent via email backup

  • Voter personal data remains stored only on municipal servers, while the voting website stores district number + voting ID + DOB only

(2) Voting Phase

  • On election day, voters bring their Voting Pass to polling stations

  • Scan QR code → enter partial name and date of birth → pass verification

  • Access the unified federal voting page, select all options, and click “VOTING”

  • The system automatically:

    1. Transmits data in real time to API-connected servers

    2. Prints a paper receipt for voter signature

    3. Sends voting confirmation to the voter’s email

  • Signed paper receipts are attached to the Voting Pass and deposited in ballot boxes

  • Anti-duplication ink is applied to voters’ fingers, effective for 24 hours

(3) Mail-In Voting

  • Designed for military personnel, overseas voters, disabled individuals, and other special groups

  • Apply for a Voting Pass via municipal websites, receive approval, and receive the pass via email

  • Voting steps:

    1. Click the email voting link and complete online voting

    2. Print and sign the voting confirmation

    3. Mail it to the designated polling station

  • Digital votes are transmitted instantly, while physical ballots serve as a backup verification method

(4) Vote Verification Code System

  • Each vote generates a unique random verification code

  • The code is stored simultaneously on municipal servers, the electronic voting platform, and candidate servers

  • Voters can use this code to verify that their vote was recorded correctly

  • Voting Passes and voting links are single-use only, preventing double voting

VI. Advantages of the System

  • Security: Multi-layer protection with distributed architecture

  • Transparency: Data can be independently verified by multiple parties

  • Efficiency: Real-time transmission and counting reduce manual workload

  • Traceability: Complete logging for voting, counting, and auditing

  • Compatibility: Supports both in-person and mail-in voting seamlessly

VII. Conclusion

Without fair elections, true democracy cannot exist.
By adopting an electronic voting framework based on the separation of Registration, Transmission, and Computation, the U.S. can achieve federal elections that are secure, transparent, efficient, and cost-effective.

November 9, 2020

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