# Helios Voting

> online open-source voting system

**Wikidata**: [Q12871894](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12871894)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Voting)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/helios-voting

## Summary
Helios Voting is an online, open-source voting system software. It is designed to facilitate elections digitally and is built using the Python programming language. The platform is distributed under the Apache Software License 2.0 and is accessible via its web portal or through its open-source code repository.

## Key Facts
- **Nature:** Helios Voting is classified as software and functions as an online, open-source voting system.
- **License:** The system is distributed under the **Apache Software License 2.0**.
- **Programming Language:** It is written in **Python**, a general-purpose programming language.
- **Website:** The official web portal is `https://vote.heliosvoting.org/`.
- **Source Code:** The code is hosted on GitHub at `https://github.com/benadida/helios-server`.
- **Aliases:** The system is also known simply as **Helios**.
- **Version History:** The system has a recorded release history, with versions such as 3.0.0 (released August 9, 2010) through 3.0.9 (released October 9, 2010).
- **Wikipedia Presence:** It has Wikipedia articles in three languages: English, Catalan (ca), and Greek (el).

## FAQs
### Q: Is Helios Voting free to use?
A: Yes, Helios Voting is open-source software released under the Apache Software License 2.0, which permits users to use and modify the software.

### Q: What technology is Helios Voting built on?
A: The system is built using Python, a general-purpose programming language that was initially released in 1991.

### Q: Where can the source code for Helios Voting be found?
A: The source code is available in a public repository on GitHub at `https://github.com/benadida/helios-server`.

## Why It Matters
Helios Voting serves as a significant tool in the landscape of digital democracy by providing a transparent, open-source solution for conducting elections. Unlike proprietary "black box" voting systems, Helios allows for public scrutiny of its codebase because it is hosted on GitHub and licensed under the Apache Software License 2.0. This transparency is critical for trust in electoral processes, as it allows experts to verify the security and functionality of the voting mechanism. By being web-based, it removes the need for physical hardware at polling stations, making voting more accessible. Its development in Python, a widely used and readable language, further lowers the barrier to entry for technical auditing and community-driven improvements.

## Notable For
- **Open-Source Transparency:** Unlike many commercial voting solutions, Helios offers full transparency through its publicly available source code.
- **Web-Based Accessibility:** It operates entirely online, allowing voters to cast ballots remotely via the website `vote.heliosvoting.org`.
- **Permissive Licensing:** The use of the Apache Software License 2.0 allows for broad adoption and modification by organizations.
- **Active Development History:** The project showed active iteration in 2010, releasing multiple updates (versions 3.0.0 through 3.0.9) within a span of two months.

## Body

### Software Classification and Technology
Helios Voting is a non-tangible executable component of a computer, classified strictly as **software**. It serves the specific function of an online voting system. The technical backbone of the application is **Python**, a general-purpose programming language. The choice of Python aligns with standard practices for rapid development and readability in web applications.

### Licensing and Availability
The software is protected under the **Apache Software License 2.0**. This license grants users the freedom to use the software for any purpose, distribute it, modify it, and distribute modified versions of the software under the terms of the license. The source code is maintained in a repository located at `github.com/benadida/helios-server`, hosted on the GitHub platform.

### Version History
The development timeline for Helios Voting includes a concentrated period of releases in **2010**. Specific version releases include:
- **v3.0.0**: Released August 9, 2010.
- **v3.0.1**: Released August 10, 2010.
- **v3.0.2**: Released August 18, 2010.
- **v3.0.3**: Released August 19, 2010.
- **v3.0.4**: Released September 11, 2010.
- **v3.0.5**: Released September 12, 2010.
- **v3.0.6 & v3.0.7**: Both released September 29, 2010.
- **v3.0.8**: Released September 30, 2010.
- **v3.0.9**: Released October 9, 2010.

### Online Presence
The system is accessible to end-users via the official website `https://vote.heliosvoting.org/`, which presents its content in English. The project has a digital footprint recognized by the Google Knowledge Graph (ID: `/g/1hc0qr5t7`) and maintains a presence on Wikipedia in English, Catalan, and Greek.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/blob/master/LICENSE)
2. [Release 3.0.0. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.0)
3. [Release 3.0.1. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.1)
4. [Release 3.0.2. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.2)
5. [Release 3.0.3. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.3)
6. [Release 3.0.4. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.4)
7. [Release 3.0.5. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.5)
8. [Release 3.0.6. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.6)
9. [Release 3.0.7. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.7)
10. [Release 3.0.8. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.8)
11. [Release 3.0.9. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.9)
12. [Release 3.0.10. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.10)
13. [Release 3.0.11. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.11)
14. [Release 3.0.12. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.12)
15. [Release 3.0.13. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.13)
16. [Release 3.0.14. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.14)
17. [Release 3.0.15. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.15)
18. [Release 3.0.16. 2010](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.0.16)
19. [Release 3.1.0. 2011](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.1.0)
20. [Release 3.1.1. 2011](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.1.1)
21. [Release 3.1.2. 2011](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.1.2)
22. [Release 3.1.3. 2011](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.1.3)
23. [Release 3.1.4. 2011](https://github.com/benadida/helios-server/releases/tag/v3.1.4)