2024: Faith In The Future of Democracy

I want to thank the leadership at the Institute for inviting and encouraging my offering our year-end note for a 2nd year in a row; I am humbled. Honestly, in reflecting on what transpired this year and what is coming next, it was easy, because what follows is largely my message last year on New Year’s Eve. And it seems even more applicable this year as we prepare for the most consequential election cycle of our lifetime. I know it seems like everyone says this every four years, but is there really any doubt about that this time? Yet, it is belief in the future of democracy and more acutely now, faith.

Faith in the future of democracy is something that has been tested in recent years, as we have seen many otherwise patriotic Americans struggle with their waning faith in democratic systems. Despite this, we can still have faith in the future of democracy as long as we remain committed to it and continue to strive for its success. Democracy is an ideal that people around the world continue to risk their lives for, and America still stands as that shining beacon of hope, 247 years and counting. So, there is no reason why we should give up on it now, especially as we prepare for the election.

We must never forget that the right to vote is a fundamental part of democracy, and it’s up to us to use it responsibly. As citizens, we must make sure that we understand the issues and aware of the different candidates and their platforms. We must also hold our elected officials accountable and ensure that they are doing their job to the best of their abilities. Faith in democracy also requires that we have faith in ourselves. We must remember that we are the ones who have the power to shape the future of our country and that our collective voice can be a powerful force for change. Our voices matter, and we have the power to make a difference and create a better future for ourselves and for our communities.

We must also recognize that democracy is a journey and not a destination. We must continue to strive for progress and work to improve our democracy. This means engaging in conversations with others, learning from our mistakes, and finding ways to make our democracy work better for everyone. Here at the OSET Institute and the TrustTheVote® Project, we take this mission with the utmost seriousness. Every voter deserves a Verifiable, Accurate, Secure, and Transparent election process. We will not stop striving towards that goal until it becomes a reality for all.

Democracy also demands the engagement and participation of the public, and that participation should never be permanently encased in "black box" technology. And the proper mix of technology is a continuing challenge: for instance, that essential principle of transparency alone makes Blockchain voting as currently envisioned by some, impossible. So, there is lots of work to do, because if we want voters to trust the process, we need to understand that transparency goes a long way towards creating that trust, and more importantly, belief. The faith and trust voters put into American democratic ideals is too precious to waste, and was something we came precariously close to losing after 2020, and witnessed challenged again in 2022 midterms. We must embrace the reality (and brace for the challenges) 2024 will present in this regard.

And that brings me to my last point:
we must remember that democracy is not a perfect system.

Democracy has its flaws and it requires constant work and dedication from everyone involved to make it work. If we’re willing to put in the effort, then we can have faith in the future of democracy and work towards rebuilding many of those ideals.

This is something that we can all strive for and something that we can all be proud of. On behalf of the OSET Institute & the TrustTheVote® Project, we wish all of our treasured members, subscribers, followers, and colleagues a peaceful and meaningful New Year in 2024. The faith you have placed in us and our mission to create a more transparent election experience for all by building the “People’s Voting System” — as well as other services and tools — is the force that propels us forward, into a brighter future for election technology, democracy, and our fellow humankind. Together, we can.

Happy New Year!