On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Williamson County Republican Party convened at the Franklin Marriott in Williamson County, Tennessee. During this event, registered Republicans—defined as those who participated in three out of the last four Republican primaries—cast their votes to determine the future leadership of their local party. The contest featured two factions: Elevate and the Williamson County Conservatives, each presenting a slate of eight candidates.
The voting results were securely recorded in Bitcoin block 886,370 through Simple Proof’s Immutable Proof service, which utilizes the OpenTimestamps protocol to safeguard public records. Simple Proof ensures document integrity by committing digital versions of documents to the arbitrary data field (OP_RETURN function) of a Bitcoin transaction, thereby making them permanently part of the Bitcoin blockchain. This technology is particularly effective for preserving election records, as it helps prevent tampering with results once the vote count is finalized.
Simple Proof gained recognition for its role in securing the vote tallies for the 2023 Presidential election in Guatemala, a story highlighted in the short documentary “Immutable Democracy.” The company also played a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of election results in Screven County, Georgia, last November. This incident in Screven County drew the attention of Steve Giraud, a Republican voter from Williamson County, who sought to ensure the integrity of the vote tally for the Williamson County Republican leadership election. Giraud, along with his friend Dave Birnbaum—who hosts Bitcoin meetups and contributes to Bitcoin Magazine—contacted Simple Proof to utilize its services.
Steve Giraud described himself as a “concerned citizen” when reaching out to Simple Proof, as explained by the company’s founder and CTO, Rafael (Rafa) Cordon. Cordon emphasized that Simple Proof maintains political neutrality and solely provides technological services. “We’re not working directly for any political organization or electoral authority, just for individuals who want to protect voting documents,” Cordon stated.
Carlos Toriello, CEO of Simple Proof, echoed Cordon’s sentiments, clarifying that the company does not represent political groups but focuses on preserving the integrity of essential election documents. “They can use our service to ensure that the information they rely upon has been preserved,” Toriello noted. “In situations where different interpretations of the same event may arise, having an immutable digital record aids in reaching consensus afterward.”
On the eve of the vote, Giraud expressed visible concern about potential interference during the election process.
