## 5 Decentralized Decision-Making
### Decentralized Decision-Making Mechanisms
#### 5.3.2 Voting Systems  
Blockchain technology provides novel solutions for decentralized decision-making via voting systems, allowing stakeholders to engage in governance processes with transparency and security. Traditional voting methods frequently encounter difficulties such as fraudulent activities, manipulation, and a dearth of openness. Blockchain-based voting techniques resolve these concerns by offering unchangeable and easily visible records of votes, guaranteeing confidence and integrity in the decision-making procedure. Within a voting system that operates on a blockchain, anyone with a vested interest can submit their votes about proposals or modifications to the network protocol by utilizing their cryptographic keys. Every vote is documented on the blockchain, establishing an unalterable and verifiable record of voting actions [63]. The decentralized structure of blockchain guarantees that no one holds authority over the voting process, fostering equity and inclusiveness. Figure 13 depicts how a blockchain-based voting system works.  
Smart contracts are essential for enabling voting systems that are based on blockchain technology. Smart contracts are autonomous contracts that have predetermined rules and conditions that are inscribed on the blockchain and execute themselves. The voting process is automated through the management of duties such as voter registration, ballot casting, and result tabulation. Smart contracts provide transparent enforcement of voting rules without the involvement of middlemen [64].  
Blockchain-powered voting systems may be integrated into other forms of governance, such as decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and ecosystems based on tokens. Within decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), stakeholders exercise their voting rights to determine the allocation of cash, implement protocol updates, or make strategic determinations [65]. Token-based ecosystems employ voting methods to oversee protocol updates, parameter modifications, and community activities. Blockchain-based voting systems provide significant advantages in terms of openness and auditability. Given that every voting action is documented on the blockchain, stakeholders have the ability to authenticate the integrity of the voting procedure and conduct an independent examination of the outcomes. The presence of openness in this context promotes trust among those involved and strengthens the credibility of decisions made in governance. Furthermore, voting systems that utilize blockchain technology provide enhanced protection against fraudulent activities and tampering. The cryptographic properties of blockchain guarantee that votes are securely encrypted and immune to any kind of tampering once they are registered on the distributed ledger. Moreover, the decentralized structure of blockchain reduces the possibility of centralized assaults or censorship, hence strengthening the security of the voting procedure [66].  
Regardless of their benefits, blockchain-based voting systems still have problems, such as scalability, accessibility, and voter privacy. Processing vast amounts of votes on the blockchain causes computing overhead that results in scalability problems. Accessibility issues center on the requirement of users having access to cryptographic keys and internet-connected devices so they may engage in the voting process. Another crucial factor is voter privacy as blockchain-based voting systems have to strike a compromise between openness and the anonymity of particular votes [67].  
Figure 13: Blockchain-based voting system.