The Chain of Custody of the Vote: A Framework for Outcome-Detectable Elections
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| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866901335951015936 |
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| author | Santos-Simoes, Rui |
| author_facet | Santos-Simoes, Rui |
| contents | <p><span lang="EN-US">Public confidence in election results depends on the ability to demonstrate, with evidence, that reported outcomes reflect the votes cast. This paper proposes a unified framework for the chain of custody of the vote applicable to all types of elections: manual, electronic, and hybrid. Its central contribution is the property of outcome detectability: no change to the reported electoral outcome should be possible without leaving detectable evidence somewhere in the chain of custody, making silent or undetectable outcome-changing manipulation practically impossible. Building on software independence, evidence-based elections, and risk-limiting audits, and integrating international standards on election observation and integrity, we develop a phase-based model of the electoral process, covering casting, counting, transmission, tabulation, and publication, with associated threats and required evidences at each stage. The framework is technology-agnostic and provides a common conceptual criterion against which electoral designs, procedures, and audit mechanisms can be assessed, regardless of the technology employed.</span></p> |
| format | Recurso digital |
| id | zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_19376821 |
| institution | Zenodo |
| language | eng |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publisher | Zenodo |
| record_format | zenodo |
| spellingShingle | The Chain of Custody of the Vote: A Framework for Outcome-Detectable Elections Santos-Simoes, Rui Elections electoral integrity risk-limiting audits evidence-based elections software independence election observation voting systems election security <p><span lang="EN-US">Public confidence in election results depends on the ability to demonstrate, with evidence, that reported outcomes reflect the votes cast. This paper proposes a unified framework for the chain of custody of the vote applicable to all types of elections: manual, electronic, and hybrid. Its central contribution is the property of outcome detectability: no change to the reported electoral outcome should be possible without leaving detectable evidence somewhere in the chain of custody, making silent or undetectable outcome-changing manipulation practically impossible. Building on software independence, evidence-based elections, and risk-limiting audits, and integrating international standards on election observation and integrity, we develop a phase-based model of the electoral process, covering casting, counting, transmission, tabulation, and publication, with associated threats and required evidences at each stage. The framework is technology-agnostic and provides a common conceptual criterion against which electoral designs, procedures, and audit mechanisms can be assessed, regardless of the technology employed.</span></p> |
| title | The Chain of Custody of the Vote: A Framework for Outcome-Detectable Elections |
| topic | Elections electoral integrity risk-limiting audits evidence-based elections software independence election observation voting systems election security |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19376821 |