Utah Quietly Allowed Resident To Vote By Phone During 2020 Election

Utah County, Utah reportedly allowed a resident to vote from his phone using an app called Voatz.

Voatz uses blockchain technology with end to end encryption in order to allow voters to cast their ballots in the safest way possible.

Although blockchain technology is touted as secure, computer technology experts from MIT believe voting by phones using technology could pose major risks.

Computer Engineers in the crypto world however believe blockchain technology is safer to use than voting machines that are severely outdated and also prone to being hacked.

10/20/2020
Utah County Makes History With Presidential Blockchain Vote
A resident in Utah County used the phone app Voatz to cast a vote in this year's presidential election. Voatz has played a part in several of the county's elections since last year.https://t.co/fOrZxpjXJs

— alicelilly (@alicelilly1) November 8, 2020

Voting by Phone Is Convenient, But Is It Too Risky? Denver and West Virginia tested a smartphone voting app. Utah County will let some voters use an app in its election this month. Iowa, Nevada will permit voting by phone in a presidential race in 2020. https://t.co/H6V8eYCUf6

— Bill Schrier (@billschrier) August 7, 2019

Government Technology had more on the story:

Utah County Clerk/Auditor Amelia Powers Gardner — one of Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers of 2020 — told Fox News that Voatz has been “one of the most cost-effective initiatives” that she and her team have implemented since her election in January 2019.

“In true pioneer spirit, Utah County is honored to be the first place where a blockchain vote was cast in a presidential general election,” Gardner said. “We are proud to lead our state and the nation on this innovative and cutting-edge technology.”

Utah County started utilizing Voatz in 2019 to give military voters a more secure voting option than email. The county eventually allowed voters with disabilities to use the app in a local election.

This is the solution for transparency! First presidential vote cast using blockchain technology
Is BlockChain mobile voting the way to ensure electoral integrity and improve voter turnout? https://t.co/sTkDBbdaGc #FoxNews

— El Republicano (@Republicano1853) November 25, 2020

Fox News got the scoop too:

With the 2020 presidential election less than a few weeks away — encumbered yet again by questions and concerns surrounding ballot security and fraud — revolutionary blockchain voting technology is being piloted in small pockets of the country.

And Tuesday marked the first time a vote has ever been cast for a U.S. president in the general election using such an app on a personal mobile phone, Fox News has learned exclusively.

“This is a historic day not only for ballot integrity and election systems but for liberty and the republic itself,” Josh Daniels, a Utah resident, told Fox News in a statement.

His vote went to former “Mighty Ducks” child actor turned cryptocurrency entrepreneur turned 2020 independent candidate Brock Pierce.

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