Arinze, Stella N. and Nwajana, Augustine O. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6591-5269 (2025) RFID-enabled electronic voting framework for secure democratic processes. Telecom, 6 (4):78. ISSN 2673-4001 (Online) (doi:10.3390/telecom6040078)

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Abstract

The growing global demand for secure, transparent, and efficient electoral systems has highlighted the limitations of traditional voting methods, which remain susceptible to voter impersonation, ballot tampering, long queues, logistical challenges, and delayed result processing. To address these issues, this study presents the design and implementation of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based electronic voting framework that integrates robust voter authentication, encrypted vote processing, and decentralized real-time monitoring. The system is developed as a scalable, cost-effective solution suitable for both urban and resource-constrained environments, especially those with limited infrastructure or inconsistent internet connectivity. It employs RFID-enabled smart voter cards containing encrypted unique identifiers, with each voter authenticated via an RC522 reader that validates their UID against an encrypted whitelist stored locally. Upon successful verification, the voter selects a candidate via a digital interface, and the vote is encrypted using AES-128 before being stored either locally on an SD card or transmitted through GSM to a secure backend. To ensure operability in offline settings, the system supports batch synchronization, where encrypted votes and metadata are uploaded once connectiv-ity is restored. A tamper-proof monitoring mechanism logs each session with device ID, timestamps, and cryptographic checksums to maintain integrity and prevent duplication or external manipulation. Simulated deployments under real-world constraints tested the system's performance against common threats such as duplicate voting, tag cloning, and data interception. Results demonstrated reduced authentication time, improved voter throughput, and strong resistance to security breaches-validating the system's resilience and practicality. This work offers a hybrid RFID-based voting framework that bridges the gap between technical feasibility and real-world deployment, contributing a secure, transparent, and credible model for modernizing democratic processes in diverse political and technological landscapes.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This article belongs to the Special Issue Digitalization, Information Technology and Social Development.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	smart card authentication, voter identity verification, encrypted vote storage, tag cloning prevention, cryptographic data protection, offline data synchronization
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management T Technology > T Technology (General) T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Engineering (ENG)
Related URLs:	Publisher
Last Modified:	16 Oct 2025 13:59
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/51246

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