LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada has built-in blockchain expertise into its election certification course of so as to add much more safety to its procedures, the Nevada Secretary of State’s Workplace introduced on Monday.
4 years in the past, Nevada was one among a number of states the place “fake electors” filed certificates that declared president-elect Donald Trump the winner over Joe Biden.
This time round, Trump received the election.
“We are committed to running the most secure elections in the country, and by incorporating blockchain technology into the certification process, we are taking this commitment to the next level,” Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar mentioned.
“Blockchain adds important protection by making it much more difficult to alter or counterfeit these vital documents, ensuring that our certification process is both transparent and trustworthy. We are proud to lead the nation in utilizing emerging technology to protect the integrity of our elections,” Aguilar mentioned.
The Certificates of Ascertainment is signed by the governor and secretary of state to certify the electors for president.
“The Electors will cast their votes for the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates who received the most votes in the State of Nevada during a meeting of the Electoral College on December 17th, 2024,” in line with a Monday information launch.
The certificates names the Republican electors: Michael McDonald, Jesse Regulation, Bruce Wayne Parks, Kathryn Njus, Robert Tyree, and Brian Hardy. They are going to ship the votes to the Electoral School.
McDonald and Regulation have been among the many faux electors who have been concerned in sending the doc 4 years in the past. They have been indicted on expenses of “offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument” on Dec. 6, 2023. However a Nevada state court docket choose dismissed the indictment in June. Nevada Lawyer Common Aaron D. Ford indicated he supposed to proceed pursuing the fees. Hardy was the legal professional for an additional one of many six faux electors.
Blockchain expertise ensures that the Certificates of Ascertainment’s authenticity is verifiable at any time and that it stays protected against unauthorized modifications or fraud, in line with the information launch. The method includes creating a novel, fixed-length “fingerprint” to the doc, defending it from tampering.
The doc will bear a ultimate evaluate by the Archivist of america and the U.S. Nationwide Archives and Information Administration (NARA), guaranteeing that it meets all authorized and regulatory necessities earlier than it’s formally filed, the information launch mentioned.
“The move towards blockchain technology is part of the Secretary of State Office’s ongoing effort to innovate and improve the security and transparency of its election processes,” in line with the information launch. “The Secretary of State’s office remains dedicated to ensuring that all election-related processes are as secure and trustworthy as possible for the people of Nevada.”
