Proof-of-burn Anonymous Voting

Abstract

This project implements a decentralized voting protocol that combines token burning mechanisms with zero-knowledge proofs to ensure vote privacy and weight verification.

Prerequisites

Before setting up the project, ensure the following tools are installed:

• Node.js (>=16.0.0) - Install Node.js
• Rust (for Cargo) - Install Rust
• Homebrew (for macOS) - Install Homebrew
• Circom - Install Circom

Setup

To set up the project, follow these steps to get the project up and running on your local machine.

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone git@github.com:zero-savvy/POB-Anonymous-Voting.git
   cd POB-Anonymous-Voting

2. Install Project Dependencies:

   npm install
   npm run install-deps

   This will:

   • Install all Node.js dependencies including Circomlib, ganache-cli and snarkjs.
   • Run additional setup scripts to install Rapidsnark in the circuits folder.

3. Start Ganache Locally:

   ganache

   This will start a local blockchain instance for testing.

4. Add the deployer private key to Makefile deploy command:

   Copy Private key from ganache accounts and add to deploy command in Makefile.

5. Deploy contract:

   make deploy

6. Run circuit commands:

   make trusted_setup
   make vote_circuit
   make vote_zkey
   make vote_vkey

7. Generate a burn address:

   cargo run -- burn-address

8. Generate Nullifier:

   First, generate the required input.json file:

   cargo run -- nullifier <private-key> <ceremony-id> <blinding-factor>

   Then, execute the entire nullifier workflow with:

   make nullifier

   This command will:

   • Compile the circuit.
   • Perform the trusted setup.
   • Generate the witness.
   • Create the proof.
   • Verify the proof.
   • Clean up intermediate files.

9. Burn some ETH:

   cargo run -- burn

10. Vote:

    cargo run -- vote

11. Check your vote proof:

    cargo run -- verify

Features

• Vote Privacy: Ensures complete privacy in proof generation and submission using zero-knowledge proofs.
• Public Verifiability: Allows public verification of vote weights without revealing individual votes.
• Coercion Resistance: Prevents vote selling and coercion through unique burn addresses tied to personal data.
• Double Voting Prevention: Uses nullifiers to prevent double voting and ensure each vote is unique.

Protocol Overview

1. Token Burning: Users burn tokens to create irreversible, publicly verifiable vote weights.
2. Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Prove correct weight attribution while preserving vote privacy.
3. Nullifier Construction: Prevents double voting and allows public verification.

Voting Process

1. Burn Transaction: Users burn tokens during the voting period, generating a unique burn address.
2. Proof Generation: Generate zero-knowledge proofs to prove token burn and vote validity.
3. Proof Submission: Submit proofs and votes to the smart contract for verification.

Security

• Replay Attack Prevention: Nullifiers prevent resubmission of votes.
• Privacy: zk-SNARKs ensure voter identities and token amounts remain hidden.
• Verifiable Results: All proofs and votes are verified and tallied on-chain.

Conclusion

This protocol provides a secure, private, and verifiable decentralized voting system using token burning and zero-knowledge proofs. It addresses key challenges in decentralized voting, including vote privacy, public verifiability, and double voting prevention.