METHOD, ARTICLE AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING REGISTRANTS, SUCH AS VOTER REGISTRANTS

摘要

A registrant submits a public key of a public/private key pair and identifying information to a registrar. The registrar determines whether the registrant is eligible based on the provided identifying information. The registrar digitally signs the public keys of eligible registrants and forwards the signed public keys to an authenticating authority. Alternatively, the registrant produces a hash card including a hash of the registrant's public key and signs and submits the hash card to the registrar via a courier. The registrant then submits its public key, the registrar electronically. If the hash corresponds to the submitted public key, the registrar digitally signs the public key and forwards the digitally signed public key to an authenticating authority. Alternatively, the registrar identifies a registrant in-person, and provides the registrant with a private key in a secure manner, then forwards a digitally signed public key to the authenticating authority. Alternatively, the registrant produces a hash card including a hash of its public key and signs and submits the hash card to the registrar in-person. The registrant then electronically submits the public key to a registrar. The registrar digitally signs the public key if the hash corresponds to the electronically submitted public key. The registrar forwards the digitally signed public key to an authenticating authority for use in authenticating the source of the encrypted information submitted by the registrant.