Quantum-Enhanced Secure Approval Voting Protocol
In a world where elections touch every aspect of society, the need for secure
voting is paramount. Traditional safeguards, based on classical cryptography,
rely on complex math problems like factoring large numbers. However, quantum
computing is changing the game. Recent advances in quantum technology suggest
that classical cryptographic methods may not be as secure as we thought. This
paper introduces a quantum voting protocol, a blend of quantum principles
(entanglement and superposition), blockchain technology, and digital
signatures, all powered by $\log_2{n}$ qubits, and designed for approval voting
with n candidates. The result is a symphony of security features - binding,
anonymity, non-reusability, verifiability, eligibility, and fairness - that
chart a new course for voting security. The real world beckons, as we tested
this protocol on IBM quantum hardware, achieving impressively low error rates
of just 1.17% in a four-candidate election.
Saiyam Sakhuja S. Balakrishnan