This marks the fourth time the Utah GOP has successfully used SIV for elections. This instance was for a special election to replace one of their U.S. Congressional Representatives who had left office early.
Celeste Maloy won the nominating contest for Utah's 2nd Congressional District at the June GOP convention, an election conducted using SIV, and then secured victory in the November General Election, formally securing her position to represent the district in DC.
13 candidates ran for the seat, and approximately 600 party leaders voted.
Like the last time this group used SIV, each individual was provided with a unique authentication code via a QR code at their arrival.
From their April GOP election:
This method was easy because all voters met in-person and could receive their QR code during the Conference’s morning check-in. Each was given a small sheet of paper with their QR code printed, which could be slipped in with their conference badges. Scanning the QR code with their phone’s camera app allowed them to go to a live page, already authenticated, to cast their votes in that round.
All voters got to try it out with a sample ballot when they first arrived, so everyone could get used to the basic experience before the binding elections began.
Although this election was in-person, SIV’s authentication can be adapted alongside any existing requirements — in-person, postal mail, or many digital options — allowing an auditable record of every privately-encrypted vote to be connected back to an authenticated voter.
Following the announcement of the election results, individuals used their verification numbers to ensure their votes were included in the final count. This process allowed all voters to confirm their votes were counted as intended, while still maintaining their vote privacy.
The voters were excited with the efficiency and ease of the entire verification and voting procedure.
Before the election, GOP Party Chair Robert Axson said:
CD2 delegates will vote via “phones or other electronic devices” similar to conventions past: “It should be the same secure voting system used at the last convention where it’s anonymous and secure.”
After the election, administrators remarked that everything went perfectly.
This special election marked a significant milestone, as the winner, Rep. Maloy, has now become the first person elected through SIV to serve in the United States Congress.