| MOST POPULAR Blockchain for President It wasn’t the first time a U.S. citizen has cast a vote recorded on blockchain-based technology, but it was the first time a vote was cast for president. In Utah, one of several states that have piloted the Voatz app, a vote was cast recently from a cellphone in Utah County. Utah County officials last year held a live audit to demonstrate how the technology validates the authenticity of votes cast. Read here about how they pioneered the tech in the current presidential election. Delivery Drones Are Coming. Is Government Ready? The FAA has OK’d three companies for drone deliveries beyond operator line of sight so far, and today’s COVID-inspired preference for contact-free deliveries suggests more will follow. Well, the requests for more will, anyway. GT’s Jed Pressgrove talked to several experts that suggest that federal and local officials need to find a less cumbersome path forward that encourages the right mix of innovation, safety and local control. Data Dive: How Counties Use Technology The Center for Digital Government’s 2020 surveys are yielding significant data about how the pandemic has changed priorities for technology leaders in government. As GT’s Ben Miller reported recently, for example, America’s counties have turned to chatbots in unprecedented numbers to handle an influx in resident inquiries. See our infographic for more data on how counties have turned to technology to navigate COVID-19. Will My Bus Be on Time? Transit schedules are fickle beasts, and Capital Metro in Austin, Texas, is piloting a new app that can help officials adjust service on the fly to keep the schedule more predictable for riders. The lightweight tech from Swiftly tracks status in real time, alerting officials who can make operational changes to help balance the passenger load between vehicles. | 