Voter disengagement is a big issue. This blockchain-backed app wants to change that

A new protocol says it is powering blockchain-backed digital democracy — creating voting platforms that are completely devoid of any external private or public influence.

Civicpower has bold ambitions to become the world’s biggest blockchain-backed voting app, and a one-stop-shop where the public can have their say. Governments and organizations can use this platform to canvass opinion, and the infrastructure is also well-suited to performing referendums where the public are given two choices.

Crucially, this protocol is open to all — and that means any citizen can create their very own ballot. High-profile influencers can also engage their community in newfound ways by getting them to vote for causes — and Alexandre Lacazette, a footballer with more than three million Instagram followers, has become the first to embrace Civicpower.

Lacazette grew up in a working-class district of Lyon, where the abstention rate in the French city’s 2020 municipal elections hit 70%. The athlete says he is determined to tackle this overwhelming level of disengagement, saying: “Young people must get involved and take their destiny into their own hands, they cannot remain passive.”

The size of the problem

Zooming out beyond France, and you begin to see the true scale of disenfranchisement. Civicpower’s figures suggest that just 25% of adults took part in the most recent election where they were eligible to vote — indicating that they have given up and no longer feel like their voices are being heard. Worse still, more than two billion humans live in 80 autocracies — leaving them silenced.

Civicpower has subsequently been built around a number of guiding principles. Top of the list is anonymity, ensuring that data relating to its users and how they vote are never shared. The project also says that it is impartial, apolitical and transparent in its governance — and its infrastructure ensures that votes are immutable. Suited for private and public settings, all while being easy to use even for those who have little technical knowledge, Civicpower adds that its systems are “infinitely scalable” too.

Another distinctive element relates to how this platform is free of charge for all individuals and associations who wish to use it. Instead, they can make a donation to the dedicated Civicpower Foundation if they have the means or inclination to do so.

More insights from Civicpower here

Your voice matters

One milestone in June has seen Civicpower team up with Time For The Planet, a nonprofit company that aims to finance 100 companies in the fight against greenhouse gas emissions.

Some 20,000 shareholders are set to vote, digitally and remotely, in the corporation’s annual general meeting — and looking ahead, there are ambitions for up to 60,000 people to have their say when the event takes place once again next year.

Civicpower has the motto “do or trust” — and already has ambitious plans to establish a range of new, high-profile partnerships in the coming years.

As the project’s whitepaper explains: “In 2021, voting should be a quicker act than playing a game online, a simpler action than sharing a moment on a social network, a common and routine action for everyone. Thanks to Civicpower's technology, it is now possible to secure with absolute certainty the participants' votes, the process of an election and the integrity of its result.”

Looking ahead, Civicpower’s goal is simple: To become a community of 10 million users where voices are heard and people are engaged, helping our society to become a better place.

Learn more about Civicpower

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