Merkle Proof Verification
Generate and verify cryptographic proof of vote inclusion
Merkle Tree
All vote hashes are organized into a binary tree structure. Each parent node is the hash of its two children, creating a single root hash at the top.
Proof Path
To prove a vote is in the tree, you only need the sibling hashes along the path from your vote to the root. This is much smaller than the full tree.
Verification
By hashing your vote with the proof path hashes, you can recalculate the root. If it matches the official Merkle root, your vote was included.
Privacy
The proof only proves inclusion - it doesn't reveal who you voted for. Only you have your specific vote hash, maintaining anonymity.
Why This Matters
Merkle proofs provide mathematical certainty that every vote was counted, without requiring trust in the election administrators. Anyone can independently verify the proof.