New York State’s Assembly is considering a bill that would assess the potential use of blockchain technology to enhance election security. Introduced by Assemblymember Clyde Vanel, Bill A07716 directs the state Board of Elections to evaluate how blockchain could contribute to protecting voter records and election results. The legislation has been submitted to the Assembly Election Law Committee for further review. The bill mandates a report from the Board of Elections within one year outlining potential benefits of blockchain in securing election data, with input from experts in various fields including blockchain, cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and election recordkeeping. This proposal follows an earlier example of blockchain’s use in secure elections; in March, the Williamson County Republican Party Convention used the Bitcoin network to store election results for a leadership and board selection process. This initiative highlights the potential of blockchain technology to bring greater transparency and trust into the electoral process. However, experts caution that while blockchain offers tamper-proof storage, it doesn’t automatically guarantee the integrity of the data input during elections. Vanel is no stranger to blockchain initiatives, having introduced a bill in March to address cryptocurrency fraud, and creating a task force in January dedicated to understanding and regulating digital currencies. This move reflects his commitment to incorporating blockchain technology into New York’s policy framework.