PROSPECTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGIES IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the prospects for the use of blockchain technologies in the electoral process of Ukraine as a decentralized system capable of ensuring a high level of data security and resistance to unauthorized interfer- ence. The study analyzes the key characteristics of blockchain technology, including the immutability of records, transparency of transactions, and the decentralized nature of data management, which make it potentially attrac- tive for application in voting procedures. At the same time, significant challenges and risks are considered, par- ticularly issues related to scalability, digital inequality, voter anonymity, and potential software vulnerabilities. The article explores foreign experience in implementing pilot projects involving blockchain-based voting systems and analyzes the current regulatory framework of Ukraine concerning the possibilities of introducing digital tech- nologies into the electoral process. It is argued that the use of blockchain in the electoral process represents a promising direction for the devel- opment of e-democracy; however, its practical implementation requires a gradual and carefully planned approach. The article proposes several stages for the implementation of blockchain technologies in the electoral process of Ukraine. It is substantiated that, before such technologies are directly applied to elections, their functionality should be tested on less sensitive public information resources, particularly state registries, in order to identify potential technical, organizational, and legal risks and to minimize possible negative consequences. The research is based on a combination of general scientific and special legal research methods. The dialectical method was used to examine the prospects for implementing blockchain technologies in the electoral process in the context of contemporary trends in the digitalization of public administration and the development of e-democ- racy. The formal-legal method was applied to analyze the provisions of Ukrainian electoral legislation, regulatory acts in the field of digital technologies, and the legal prerequisites for the use of blockchain in the electoral pro- cess. The comparative legal method was employed to study foreign experience in the implementation of electronic voting technologies and to assess the possibilities for adapting such experience to Ukrainian realities. The system- ic-structural method made it possible to consider blockchain as a component of the digital infrastructure of the electoral process and to identify the interrelationship between technological, organizational, and legal aspects of its functioning. The methods of analysis and synthesis were used to determine the advantages and disadvantages of blockchain-based voting systems and to formulate proposals for the phased implementation of relevant techno- logical solutions. The theoretical significance of the study lies in deepening scholarly understanding of the possibilities and lim- itations of blockchain technologies in the electoral process and in developing theoretical and legal foundations for their integration into the system of e-democracy. The practical significance of the research consists in the pos- sibility of developing pilot electronic voting projects and facilitating the implementation of digital technologies within the electoral process.