Bitcoin Magazine
Utilizing Bitcoin Blockchain to Safeguard Tennessee County Republican Convention Vote Results
On March 4, 2025, the Williamson County Republican Party convened its convention at the Franklin Marriott, situated in the heart of Williamson County, Tennessee.
During this gathering, registered Republicans—individuals who participated in three of the last four Republican primaries—cast their votes to decide on new local party leadership. Two factions, Elevate and the Williamson County Republicans, each nominated a slate of eight candidates for consideration.
The final vote results were secured within Bitcoin block 886,370 through the services of Simple Proof, a platform that utilizes the OpenTimestamps protocol to fortify the protection of public records.
Why Choose Simple Proof?
Simple Proof ensures the security of documents by embedding their digital versions into the arbitrary data field (the OP_RETURN function) of a Bitcoin transaction. This process irrevocably locks these documents onto the Bitcoin blockchain, ensuring they cannot be altered.
This innovative technology is particularly effective in safeguarding election records, playing a significant role in maintaining the authenticity of vote counts once they have been completed.
Simple Proof gained notable recognition for its role in securing the vote results during Guatemala’s 2023 presidential election, as showcased in the documentary titled “Immutable Democracy.”
Additionally, they played a vital role in preserving election results in Screven County, Georgia last November.
This situation in Screven County piqued the interest of Steve Giraud, a Republican voter from Williamson County, who aimed to uphold the integrity of the vote count in the county’s Republican leadership election.
In collaboration with his friend, Dave Birnbaum (who organizes Bitcoin meetups and is also a contributor to Bitcoin Magazine), Giraud contacted Simple Proof to utilize their services.
“Steve, who initiated contact with Simple Proof, identified himself as a ‘concerned citizen,’” Rafael (Rafa) Cordon, founder and CEO of Simple Proof, shared with Bitcoin Magazine.
Cordon clarified that Simple Proof operates with neutrality and solely provides technological services.
“We are not directly engaged with any political entity or electoral body; we only assist individuals who want to ensure the protection of voting documents,” Cordon elaborated.
Carlos Toriello, Election Lead at Simple Proof, emphasized that the company does not extend its services to political factions and is focused solely on maintaining the integrity of crucial election documents.
“They can utilize our platform to confirm that the data they depend on has been safeguarded,” Toriello stated to Bitcoin Magazine.
Pre-Convention Unrest
When I spoke with Giraud just a day prior to the vote, he expressed visible anxiety regarding potential disruptions during the voting night or subsequent challenges to the authenticity of the election results.
Affiliated with the Williamson County Citizens, a coalition of “grassroots conservatives” advocating for limited government, lower taxes, and reduced regulation, Giraud indicated that the Republican faction he supports has experienced significant conflict with the Williamson County Conservatives, whom he characterized as establishment Republicans less driven by ideology.
At the convention, voters, who were registered Republicans, would select eight leaders from a total of sixteen candidates—eight from Elevate and eight sponsored by the Williamson County Conservatives.
In the weeks preceding the event, reports suggested that the Williamson County Republicans engaged in a disinformation campaign, alleging that Elevate sought to suppress turnout. This was in response to the Williamson County Republican Party (WCRP), predominantly composed of Elevate representatives, enforcing in-person voting at the convention, despite this being a requirement stated in Tennessee’s Republican party bylaws.
According to Giraud, Williamson County Conservatives further asserted that the WCRP altered the venue at the last moment to hinder voter turnout from their supporters.
However, Giraud disputed this claim.
“We were nearing the maximum capacity for the original site, the Franklin Factory Liberty Hall, as our anticipated turnout was considerable,” he recounted.
“Thus, an individual from the Contest and Credentialing Committee (CCC), which is distinct from the WCRP, indicated a necessary venue change—even though this might pose challenges for some voters. The WCRP planned to have volunteers at the original location with signs directing attendees to the Marriott,” he added.
“There are concerns that if the opposition loses, they might pursue legal action due to the CCC’s decision.”
Moreover, the Williamson County Conservatives inundated residents with mailers, text messages, and automated calls, partially financed by former Democratic donors.
Giraud noted that the Williamson County Conservatives “carpet bombed 16,000 verified Republicans in the county with mailers — each batch of 5,000 cost about $4,000.”
According to a report, the Williamson County Conservatives invested $50,000 in this campaign, characterized by “emotionally-charged and aggressive” messaging, which led to both factions trading accusations back and forth.
Vote Counting Procedures
While Simple Proof does not certify the accuracy of the vote tallies it preserves via the Bitcoin blockchain, the responsibility for ensuring the integrity of the voting process falls to the local election board.
Giraud explained that only registered Republicans would be permitted in the voting area during the convention. Additionally, the area would be “guarded by deputy sheriffs,” and each voter would receive a wristband that must be removed after voting to prevent double voting.
Voting was conducted using what Giraud referred to as “bubble cards,” where voters marked their preferred eight candidates out of the 16 presented — candidates from Elevate on one side and those from the Williamson County Conservatives on the other.
There were four volunteer monitors overseeing the process—two representing Elevate and two from the Williamson County Conservatives.
During the voting process, Giraud served as a “Judge for Spoiled Ballots,” watching for any irregularities, such as writing outside the designated areas, which could lead to disqualification of a vote.
Votes were processed through a machine that, while part of the voting procedure, caused some skepticism for Giraud—who conveyed discomfort with the idea of machines being involved in ballot marking.
Ultimately, the machines generated the preliminary vote totals for the evening, although either Elevate or the Williamson County Conservatives could request a hand count of the ballots.
Voting Outcomes
The Elevate candidates successfully secured all eight party leadership positions.
This victory, however, was not without challenge.
After the initial results were processed by the machines, the Williamson County Conservatives requested a manual recount, which was conducted by the Tennessee State Election Commission, as noted by Giraud. The recount revealed that Elevate’s margin of victory was slightly larger than previously reported. (Simple Proof also timestamped both the initial results and the recount results, all linked to the Bitcoin blockchain.)
“With the manual recount, we received an additional vote,” Giraud remarked.
He also noted that his prior worries about possible disruptions during the convention were alleviated, as the voting process unfolded smoothly, save for a minor, unforeseen incident.
“There were a high number of elderly attendees, which led to the decision to open the doors for early voting,” he noted.
As the night concluded, Giraud felt not just a sense of relief but also optimism regarding the events of the evening. He envisioned a future where Simple Proof’s technology could be adopted more broadly.
“I just shared what we accomplished with the soon-to-be-former Chair of the Williamson County Republican Committee, who is stepping down today,” Giraud explained.
“He appeared quite enthusiastic about our efforts. I hope to continue this initiative, not only in our county but also in neighboring areas as well as across the state eventually. My overarching goal for Tennessee is to enhance transparency,” he expressed.
“I would hope that even those from the other side would consider approaching Carlos (Toriello) and Rafa (Cordon) to utilize this technology for documentation and in future elections to promote accountability and truth. That is my aim as a concerned citizen.”
This article Utilizing Bitcoin Blockchain to Safeguard Tennessee County Republican Convention Vote Results originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and was authored by Frank Corva.
