Evidence Based Elections and Software Independence
Ron Rivest
Voting Village @ DEF CON 33 · Day 1 · Voting Village
In this compelling talk at the Voting Village, renowned computer scientist and MIT Professor Emeritus Ron Rivest, widely recognized as the 'R' in the **RSA algorithm**, delivered a critical examination of election security, advocating for **evidence-based elections** and **software independence**. Rivest's presentation underscored the fundamental importance of trustworthy elections to democracy and challenged the prevailing reliance on unverified electronic systems. He argued that despite technological advancements, the most robust security for electoral processes lies in tangible, voter-verified evidence, primarily paper ballots, coupled with rigorous post-election audits.
AI review
Rivest is one of maybe a dozen people alive who can speak on election security with genuine cryptographic authority and institutional weight — he helped write the TGDC definitions, he sat on the NAS committee, he's been doing this for decades. The talk delivers substantive content on software independence, RLA mechanics, and the limits of cryptographic voting systems, grounded in real policy work and published research rather than vibes.