Patent ID: 6092051
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: G06Q,G07C

Abstract:
A computer implemented method of secure receipt-free voting, the method comprising the steps of:(a) constructing ballots at at least one vote generating center for each vote chooser, each ballot having a value;(b) posting the ballots on a bulletin board;(c) proving that the ballots are correctly constructed without generally revealing the values of the ballots:(d) sending at least one private message from the vote generating center to each of the vote choosers without the at least one private messages being intercepted, the at least one private message revealing and proving to each vote chooser the values of the ballots from which that vote chooser may choose to vote;(e) permitting each vote chooser to create an alternative message based upon the at least one private message received by that vote chooser, the alternative message not being indicative of the correct values for the ballots revealed and proven to that vote chooser;(f) each vote chooser choosing a ballot from the revealed and constructed ballots indicative of a chosen vote;(g) preventing proof of the value of the chosen ballot to a malicious party by rendering computationally infeasible a determination by the malicious party of whether the vote generating center sent the at least one private message actually received by the vote chooser or the alternative message regardless of any information provided by the vote chooser to the malicious party at any time,(h) the vote chooser specifying the ballot chosen by the vote chooser to a vote counting center through a secure anonymous channel; and(i) counting, the ballots specified by all vote choosers to the vote counting center.