ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Global Arena Holding Inc. (“the Company”), a Delaware corporation, is organized as a holding company. The Company became a public company on May 18, 2011, when it successfully completed a reverse merger with China Stationery and Office Supply, Inc., an OTC Bulletin Board company.
The Company currently has three subsidiary companies.
The Company, GAHI Acquisition, Tidewater Energy Group and GES do not trade crypto currency, nor do they participate in Initial Coin Offerings.
1) Global Election Services (GES)
GES, formed on February 25, 2015, provides comprehensive technology-enabled paper Absentee/Mail Ballot and Online election services to organizations such as craft and trade organizations, labor unions, political parties, co-operatives and housing organizations, associations and professional societies, universities, and political organizations. GES has developed proprietary election software for a data storage and retrieval registration system to determine voter eligibility and prevent duplicate votes with In-Person digital signature capture, as well as proprietary election software for scanning/tabulation utilizing advanced OMR/OCR/Barcode imaging software featuring de-skewing, de-speckling and image correction. The hardware includes high speed optical scanners that are hard lined to a computer with all Wi-Fi disabled so the entire tabulation process occurs offline, eliminating the opportunity for hacking. This system provides three types of audit capabilities.
GES is also working with multiple vendors and has made investments in companies that are developing Blockchain Technology for a data storage and retrieval registration system; tabulation of paper Absentee/Mail Ballots; and Internet voting.
The Company has also signed a Letter of Intent to acquire the assets of Election Services Solutions including all clients, contracts and employment contracts. This asset purchase is currently pending.
GES Acquisition of Election Services Solutions, LLC
On March 25, 2021, the Company entered into a second amended purchase agreement (APA) with Election Services Solutions. Under the second APA the Company entered into an amended asset purchase agreement with Election Services Solutions, LLC. Under the amended APA, the Company will purchase 100% of the assets of Election Services Solutions, LLC and the Company will pay $650,000, of which $511,150 has already been paid, and issue 40,000,000 common shares to purchase these assets under this second amended APA. This APA replaces the first amended purchase agreement signed on May 10, 2019 wherein the Company was to purchase 100% of the assets of Election Services Solutions, LLC. The Company was to pay $550,000, of which $511,150 has already been paid, and issue 20,000,000 common shares to purchase these assets under this first amended APA. GES derives over 80 % of its current business from Election Services Solutions. Management anticipates the closing of this transaction will occur in the second quarter of 2023.
The ESS asset acquisition will give GES the ability to expand into the following areas:
| | • | Alumni Associations – The ESS team formally ran elections for Alumni organizations for over 25 years with memberships from 5,000 to 200,000. |
| | • | Labor Unions – The ESS Management team has a more than 40-year history in administering elections to organized labor unions. |
| | • | Pension and Retirement Groups – The ESS team formally ran elections for Pension and Retirement groups for over 25 years with memberships from 300,000. |
| | • | Credit Unions – The ESS team formerly ran elections for Credit Unions for over 25 years with memberships from 100,000 to 500,000. |
| | • | Professional Trade Associations – The ESS team formerly ran elections for Professional Trade Associations for over 25 years with memberships from 30,000 to 50,000. |
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GES Current Business
As one of the United States premier providers of comprehensive election services, GES focuses on efficiency, accuracy, integrity and security. GES prides itself on being able to provide flawless results regardless of the size or complexity of the project. GES helps organizations manage elections, strengthen corporate governance, increase member participation, and reduce costs.
Today’s election officials take on tremendous responsibility in managing all aspects of the voting process from selecting products to ensuring fair elections and every phase in between. In an industry that is constantly evolving, these tasks become more challenging every day. GES provides full-service technology enabled election solutions to clients while offering the experience, support, security, and capacity needed to meet ever-changing client needs now and in the future. GES believes it is unique in its ability to integrate multiple methods of voting; customers can hold elections via Paper Ballots by mail or in person, Internet Voting, or any combination of these methods, which GES refers to as Hybrid elections. Every project begins with a full review of the bylaws to ensure total compliance. GES then prepares a formal project plan and timeline. An experienced Election Administrator manages every facet of the project, while keeping the client fully informed every step of the way. GES provides telephone and/or email support for any procedural questions and help for management as well as voters. GES projects enhance the image of professionalism of the client organization, providing our clients with peace of mind every step of the way.
The GES’ senior management team has conducted approximately over 8,650 elections, involving more than 40,000,000 voters. Each organized labor election result requires an election certification submitted to the US Department of Labor, and for over 40 years, not one of our elections has been overturned.
Election security is an absolute priority for GES. We have seen emotions run high in many projects. Our focus on the security and confidentiality of election information diffuses most concerns and creates a broad consensus that the project is being conducted correctly and impartially. Election Committees regularly observe our processing and tabulation activities.
Paper Ballots; Absentee/Mail and In-Person Voting
GES management has been handling paper mail ballot and in-person elections for Labor Unions, Associations, and other private organizations for over 40 years. This process starts with a nominations meeting, creation and printing of the ballot and all materials. For an Absentee/Mail election, ballot packages are mailed to all eligible voting members. On the voting/tabulation day, GES collects the mail and uses the proprietary registration system that we developed to authenticate and register voters by scanning a barcode on the Business Reply Mail envelope with the ballot inside. For an in-person election, voters are authenticated in our system, and they sign a digital signature pad for registration. The authentication is based on a database provided by the client and any ineligible or challenged votes are removed. Once this list of valid voters has been compiled, we open the envelopes with identifiers and pull out the secret ballot envelope/sleeve containing the ballot. Once the ballots are pulled from the secret ballot envelopes/sleeves, we scan them using our proprietary software and hardware system to tabulate the votes. We uphold the essential requirements that the vote is secret, and each voter only gets one vote.
Organized Labor/Unions
Organized Labor Unions and their memberships in the United States are represented at the Local level, the regional level, and the international level. The smallest membership totals are at the Local level, groups of locals in a geographical area combine to make up a regional level, and all members belong to an International Level. Elections occur in all these groups and subsets of them, which means that there could be multiple votes for the same union throughout the year, with GES charging a per-member fee for each one. Most Nominations and Officer Elections for union leaders occur every two to three years. Additionally, GES is regularly involved in other types of elections, including: Strike Votes, Contract Ratifications, Delegate Nominations, Dues Increases, Assessments, By-Law Changes and Unexpired Term Votes, all of which can be done online. Each union has by-laws that dictate the process and how often these elections occur. Due to our experience, it is a natural progression for GES to expand into administering Regional and International elections, which GES has already begun to do.
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In the fourth quarter of 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released official guidelines for voting online. Since then, we have worked to develop our systems to offer our customers the most advanced software available today. The DOL announcement has encouraged many unions to look into this option for non-officer elections because it is not only a more efficient process, but there is also a significant cost savings for the client.
Residential Organizations, Co-op/Condos
GES has been conducting elections for Homeowner and Co-Op Organizations for more than forty years. At GES, we understand the sensitivity of the project, and the need to present a flawless experience to the owners. GES is the independent and impartial third-party Organizations can trust to manage an election and provide an organization with the tools essential to strong leadership and good governance. GES provides complete management of an election project, from initial design of voting materials through tabulation. We support in-person, paper mail, and Internet voting using ballots or proxies. Signature verification, slates, and weighted, or share, voting are standard. No activity proceeds unless there is a quorum present. Interim results are available immediately and certified results normally follow within 24 hours. The GES Team has conducted elections at properties with fewer than 200 Membership Interests, and with more than 10,000. We have also conducted lotteries for public housing agencies including Section 8 Housing.
Now more than ever it is important to know what property owners are thinking. For many clients, we've included a limited set of survey questions on the proxy for the Board election. This technique has proven effective in capturing voter interest and stimulating turnout, in addition to providing valuable feedback on the important issues. GES can develop a regular program of surveys to help the client more effectively gauge members' views on needed improvements, regulatory matters, or other association-related issues. This interaction is made even easier utilizing GES’ online voting platform.
GES Developed Election Technology
Voter Authentication and Registration Software
GES has worked diligently to create a very specific proprietary registration election software that functions in authenticating and registering voting members in a data look-up system. In the event of an In-Person election, a voter ID can be scanned, or information typed in to pull that voter up. A digital signature is then captured and saved to complete the voter’s registration and is available in a final list of ‘Who Voted”. In the event of a Mail
Ballot, a barcode on the Business Reply Envelope is scanned and the status of that member is identified. If the member is not eligible to vote, that ballot is removed from the count. Additionally, if a member requests a replacement ballot and mails back that and the original, the system will flag the duplicate ballot, which is removed from the valid ballots ensuring only one ballot from each voter is counted. Because we must account for every single ballot, the system has multiple reporting options where we may deliver to the client the list of members who mailed in a ballot but were not able to vote, detailing the reason.
Scanning and Tabulation Software
The GES proprietary scanning election software is advanced OMR/OCR/Barcode scanning and tabulation software featuring de-skewing, de-speckling, and image correction. The computer hardware utilizes high-speed optical scanners and was designed to run hard wired without Internet or Wi-Fi access, ensuring complete security. The system allows for triple auditing capabilities, which are; electronically generated tabulation results, jpeg imaging and storage, and the original physical ballot. This advancement gives GES the ability to tabulate elections faster and more efficiently and brings the opportunity for GES to compete for larger elections. GES began successfully deploying this system in our elections during the third quarter of 2017.
Online Voting
GES has a current client base of hundreds of unions. GES is committed to providing a comprehensive, secure voting platform, using state of the art technology for election officials charged with running their elections. We also offer the option for a “hybrid” election, which allows members to choose a Mail Ballot, In Person and/or Online Voting options, while ensuring no one votes twice. GES strives to build a user experience that limits human error and makes the voting process as easy and seamless as possible while ensuring the highest level of secrecy, security, and One Voter = One Vote integrity that we have been committed to for nearly 4 decades.
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In 2020, GES developed, built, and implemented a propriety online election voting solution that is compliant with Title IV of the United States Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards. GES built the platform on one of the most secure global infrastructures Amazon Web Services (AWS) which is a comprehensive, evolving platform provided by Amazon that includes a mixture of infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platform as a service and packaged software (PaaS), and software as a service offering (SaaS). The platform enables GES to protect individual client data, including the ability to encrypt it, move it, and manage retention (if required). All data flowing across the global network interconnects with the GES secured data center and is automatically encrypted at the physical layer before it leaves our secured facilities. Additional encryption layers exist as well. GES controls where our client data is stored, who can access it, and what resources your organization is utilizing at any given moment. Fine-grain identity and access controls combined with continuous monitoring for near real-time security information ensures that the right resources have the right access at all times, wherever your information is stored. GES encryption software uses AES 256 with a cryptographic key using an RSA elliptic curve of 4096, which is used to encrypt the communication of the client and the GES server, as well all client data hosted in the server. A six-digit security code, delivered to the voter’s email address provided by the client, must be validated by the prospective voter in order to authenticate the identity of the voter before the voter may access the ballot. After validating the voter, the voter then votes anomalously, so that the identity of the voter and the ballot cast can never be matched. The GES voting platform verifies that the users does not use the back and forward browser button, a safe mechanism against tampering. Distributed denial of service DDoS protection tools help secure websites and applications and prevent DDoS attacks, which bombard websites with traffic traditionally delivered via “botnets" that are created by networked endpoints connected via malware. The DDoS software protection provides always-on detection and automatic inline mitigations that minimize application downtime and latenc. The GES platform also provides voting features such as posting documents like candidate statements, pictures, contracts, or amendments to be voted on.
Current GES Technology Providers
GES is currently working with the following software individuals, companies with our efforts being dedicated to:
| | • | Ensuring the highest level of security protocols that comply with all necessary standards |
| | • | Developing a Registration System supported by Blockchain Technology for security |
| | • | Building an interface that is instinctive and user-friendly |
| | • | Customizing for specific sectors’ rules and requirements |
| | • | Allowing for scalability while maintaining integrity |
| | • | Growing our client list by offering high quality technology solutions |
By working with Magdiel Rodriguez, Imaging 101, True Vote Inc, Voatz Inc, and Blockchain Valley Ventures, GES is working to design and create information technology and information systems management including software development services, infrastructure, network, support, corporate security, and risk management.
Imaging 101 is a technology company, TrueVote Inc, Voatz Inc are Blockchain technology companies and Blockchain Valley Ventures is Blockchain Advisory company.
Working Relationship with Magdiel Rodriguez
On January 14, 2022, GES entered into an Independent Consulting Agreement (ICA) with Magdiel Rodriquez. Under the terms of the ICA Magdiel Rodriquez will receive 15,000,000 million common shares in return for his software expertise in the development of GES election software. This new ICA replaces an amended MSA signed May 13, 2019 with HCAS and Magdiel Rodriquez wherein the Company was to issue a total of 30,000,000 warrants to purchase the Company’s common shares at a price of $0.005 as consideration for the services of HCAS and Mr. Magdiel Rodriquez. Mr. Rodriguez has over 25 years’ experience in the areas of Information Security, Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance, Information Technology and Operations including 21 years with Visa Inc. where he performed as Senior Business Leader of Information Security. Magdiel has extensive experience in a broad range of areas related to Information Security, Network Engineering, and Enterprise Governance, Risk and Compliance and Payment networks within the financial industry. Management anticipates the closing of this transaction will occur in the second quarter of 2023.
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Working Relationship with Imaging 101
Imaging 101, a technology company based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL has developed for GES a specific registration software that functions in authenticating and registering voting members in a data look-up system. In the event of an In-Person election, a voter ID can be scanned, or any information typed in to pull that voter up. A digital signature can also be captured and saved for the final list of ‘Who Voted”. In the event of a Mail Ballot, a barcode on a Business Reply Envelope is scanned and the status of that member is identified. If the member is not eligible to vote, that ballot is removed from count. Because we must account for every single ballot, the system has multiple reporting options where we may deliver to the client the list of members who mailed in a ballot but were not able to vote, detailing the reason.
Imaging 101 also developed for GES an advanced OMR/OCR/Barcode scanning and tabulation software system featuring de-skewing, de-speckling, and image correction. The computer hardware was designed to run hard wired without Internet or Wi-Fi access, ensuring complete security. The system allows for triple auditing capabilities, which are; electronically generated tabulation results, jpeg imaging and storage, and the original physical ballot. This advancement gives GES the ability to tabulate elections faster and more efficiently and brings the opportunity for GES to compete for larger elections.
GES Investment in TrueVote Inc.
On June 15, 2019, GES entered into a Term Sheet, and Common Stock Purchase Agreement to create a joint venture with TrueVote, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement GES was to invest $50,000 into a 24 Month Debenture and issue a 3 year warrant exercisable at $0.01 for 4,500,000 common shares of the Company. The Company will receive 3 million common shares of TrueVote, representing 30% of TrueVote Inc. The Company on December 17, 2019 paid $ 40,000 to True Vote. Under the terms of the agreement GES is to invest an additional $10,000 and the Company issue a 3 year warrant exercisable at $0.01 for 4,500,000 common shares of the Company. The transaction closed on February 27, 2023.
GES on January 21, 2022 signed a Master Service Agreement with Voatz Inc, provide a secure voting platform requiring specific proprietary software that allows for secure online rank choice voting tabulator system , and retained Voatz Inc to create a readiness evaluation and related technical services to GES in the 2nd and third quarter of 2022. GES has a continuing working relationship with Voatz Inc. relating to online voting for non-officer Department of Labor elections.
2) Tidewater Energy Group Inc.
On November 19, 2019, the Company incorporated a new wholly owned entity in the State of Delaware called Tidewater Energy Group Inc. The Board of Directors appointed John S. Matthews and Jason Old as Board members. The Company was formed to explore opportunities in the oil, gas, mineral, and energy business. Tidewater Energy Group Inc. has 40,000,000 common shares authorized; par value $0.001. There are currently 10,000,000 common shares issued and outstanding of which the Company holds 5,100,000 common shares (51%). The Company invested $50,000 into Tidewater Energy Group Inc. for general capital and administrative expenses in January 2020. The Company plans to close in the second quarter of 2023.
3) GAHI Acquisition Corp.
On June 7, 2019, the Company’s second subsidiary, GAHI Acquisition Corp. (GAHI) was authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors to infuse an initial deposit of $50,000 into the subsidiary for general capital and administrative expenses. GAHI Acquisition was to be be repurposed in order to explore potential new business ventures in an effort to increase shareholder value. The Company cause GAHI Acquisition to explore opportunities in the energy and minerals business which may have provided investment opportunities, including the possibility of providing blockchain technology software to energy and mineral companies. The Company added Mr. Jason N. Old to the GAHI Acquisition Board as a Director. On November 28, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the termination of the transaction previously authorized to infuse an initial deposit of $50,000 into GAHI Acquisition for general capital and administrative expenses and have GAHI Acquisition repurposed in order to explore opportunities in the energy and minerals business, which may provide investment opportunities, including the possibility of providing blockchain technology software to energy and mineral companies. GAHI Acquisition will remain a 100% subsidiary of the Company and will focus on Blockchain related companies for investments and acquisition.
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4) Fortis Industria, LLC
On January 26, 2023, the Company filed Articles of Organization with the State of Nevada to create a limited liability company called Fortis Industria, LLC. The Company owns 90% of the member interests. John S. Matthews, an officer and director of the Company owns 5% of the member interests.
Fortis will enter into a purchase and sale agreement with RPM Management LLC, to purchase 51% ownership of 152 oil wells located in Oklahoma, USA. There are currently 46 producing wells, with 23 oil wells to be opened in the next 12 months, with a remaining 83 wells to be opened thereafter.
Growth Strategy for the Company
Management believes there are four significant opportunities to increase market share;
| | 1) | The growth and expansion of GES current business and the expansion into paper absentee/mail for US Government and Foreign elections. |
| | 2) | The additional development of interactive communication, between elected individuals and their constituents; |
| | 3) | The development of Blockchain voting applications. |
| | 4) | The diversification of Tidewater Energy Group Inc. |
1) Management believes there is an opportunity in conducting United States and Foreign Government Elections. GES’ senior Management teams’ primary business for over 40 years has been mail/absentee ballot elections. The market for GES conducting paper/mail ballot elections grew exponentially in January of 2017, when first President Barack Obama, and then President Donald Trump designated U.S. Elections “Critical Infrastructure”.
In the U.S. there are 3,007 counties, 64 parishes, 19 organized boroughs, 11 census areas, 41 independent cities, and the District of Columbia, all of whom purchase updated Election Machines and Software. Each municipal county individually purchases election voting machines under the guidance of their own State’s Secretary of State, recommendations from the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), and local election regulations .
The United States Government, through the Elections Assistance Commission, certifies election software and hardware for use in U.S. Government Elections.
The size and scope of the opportunity in US Government elections can be measured in recent legislation providing funding to US municipalities.
On March 27, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law. The Act includes $400 million in new Help America Vote Act (HAVA) emergency funds, made available to states to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus for the 2020 federal election cycle. This supplemental appropriation funding, distributed by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), will provide states with additional resources to protect the 2020 elections from the effects of the novel coronavirus.
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 into law. The Act includes $425 million in new HAVA funds made available. On March 23, 2018, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 into law, which included $380 million in Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grants for states to make election security improvements.
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Among the authorized uses of the grant funds is the replacement of voting equipment, specifically equipment that does not produce a paper record or that is determined to be at the end of its useful life. Recent published examples are:
| • | In 2019, Hawaii (SB 166) allocated $789,598 for the purpose of a vote counting system contract. |
| • | In 2019, Georgia issued a $150 million bond package for the replacement of voting equipment statewide. The state also appropriated $12,840,000 from the General Fund for the purpose of financing projects and facilities for the Office of Secretary of State. |
| • | In 2019, Wyoming appropriated $7.5 million into an election readiness account (HB 21). The state's $3 million HAVA allocation will also be placed in this account, the majority of which will go toward replacing outdated voting equipment statewide. |
| • | In 2019, North Dakota enacted SB 2002, which included a one-time appropriation for voting equipment and electronic poll books statewide. The total amount of $11.2 million included $8.2 million in state funds and $3 million in HAVA funds. |
The opportunity for mail/absentee ballots became a page one story in 2020 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Subsequent accusations of voter fraud, compounded by President Trump declaring the 2020 U.S. election voting as rigged and fraudulent, has led to almost 40% of the U.S. Electorate believing the 2020 election was fraudulent.
On October 23, 2019, the Brennan Center has estimated that the national cost for some of the most critical election security measures to be approximately $ 2.2 Billion dollars over the next five years. The opportunity is even greater in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Due to social distancing requirements, voters should not be congregating at polling locations for In-Person voting. Mail and Absentee Ballot voting has emerged as a safe alternative to In-Person voting and which is a complicated process that requires a company like GES that has significant experience in conducting Mail Ballot voting to avoid problems.
The Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) updated their Voluntary Voting System Guidelines to 2.0 in February 2021. This certification process can take approximately 6 to 9 months and companies applying for certification can spend up to $2,000,000 or more. With the current compliance directives also in place in many individual States, the Company and GES anticipate annual software maintenance of approximately $250,000.
The Company and GES have previously engaged software and hardware developers and GES is currently preparing request for proposals to assist in the development of additional and hardware development to comply with the EAC 2.0 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. This will require the hiring of additional technical software employees, and additional outside vendors who in initial discussions will require fees of approximately 2 million dollars and stock-based compensation
In an effort further prove GES ability to administer municipal and government elections, GES in the 1st quarter of 2020 administered the private government election space when GES successfully completed the Statewide Presidential Primary for North Dakota Democratic-NPL. GES administered the statewide polling for all North Dakota residents who wished to vote in Democratic Presidential Primary by; managing a call center and processed over 3,000 mail ballot requests, set up equipment and trained Staff on our proprietary Registration Software for In-Person voting at 14 locations across the state, and processed over 14,000 ballots with our proprietary Scanning and Tabulation software system.
GES’ IT staff customized our proprietary Voter Registration software to ensure voters cast only one ballot, whether by mail or in person and set up secure servers that processed voter sign-in and digital signature capture in real time from a database of over 600,000 potential voters. GES trained over 100 volunteers, many with limited or no technology experience on how to use the system. After a short tutorial, those volunteers handled the increased registration volume with ease. After the polls closed and all the votes were cast, GES’ tabulation systems processed the ballots using our proprietary Scanning and Tabulation software system. The 2020 North Dakota Democratic-NPL Presidential Primary caucus had the largest voter turnout in over a decade.
Management believes there is an opportunity in conducting United States and Foreign Government Elections. GES’ senior Management teams’ primary business for 40 years has been mail/absentee ballot elections. The market for GES conducting paper/mail ballot elections grew exponentially in January of 2017, when first President Barack Obama, and then President Donald Trump designated U.S. Elections “Critical Infrastructure”. The effect of these Executive Orders was to refocus the Department of Homeland Security, and the Elections Assistance Commission to reenergize compliance on U.S. Government elections, and assist by making available resources such as intelligence, funding, training and best practices in election software and hardware, for all fifty States.
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GES has begun undertaking the following six step benchmarks to qualify for the updated U.S. certification and is also considering individual State certifications.
| | Step 1 - | Voting System Testing, Testing current developed systems to U.S. Federal 2.0 Standards |
| | Step 2 - | Technical Data Package Review; Reviews submitted documents against documentation requirements of outside agencies, published standards, or U.S. specifications |
| | Step 3 - | Physical Configuration Audit; Examines the documentation of the system against the actual submitted system |
| | Step 4 - | System Integration Testing; Executes tests on all components of a system configured as if the system was deployed |
| | Step 5 - | Functional Configuration Audit; Examines submitted test data and conducts additional testing to verify submitted system hardware and software described in the documents submitted to the Elections Assistance Commission and the Department of Homeland Security |
| | Step 6 - | Security Testing; Performs vulnerability assessments and penetration analysis to assess system vulnerabilities |
Most states have a vote by mail process right now. Voters may request an Absentee Mail Ballot from their County Board of Elections, or a Vote by Mail ballot is sent. In either case, our proprietary registration and tabulation software has an immediate need. In the 2020 election, 69% of voters nationwide cast their ballot nontraditionally by mail and/or before Election Day. This is the highest rate of nontraditional voting for a presidential election since questions regarding voting method have been included in the survey. By comparison, about 40% of voters cast their ballots by mail and/or prior to Election Day in 2016. Much of the surge in nontraditional voting was due to an increase in mail-in voting.
In 2020, 43% of voters cast ballots by mail and another 26% voted in person before Election Day. In 2016, 21% mailed in their ballots and 19% voted in person prior to Election Day. (US Census Bureau 4/29/21)
Most individuals think only of the Presidential election every four years as the Election. In reality, municipal Board of Elections throughout the U.S. are conducting elections annually for such elected positions as; Governor, Mayor, City Council, State Assembly, State Senate, Members of U.S. Congress (House every 2 years, Senate every 6) Civil and Criminal Justices, Sheriffs, School Boards, Village Trustees, etc. In short, most State and local municipal Board of Elections are in the market purchasing software and hardware every year.
2) Management also sees an opportunity in developing and creating Blockchain Voting Technology, and is working with Blockchain Valley Ventures and TrueVote Inc, which Management believes could positively impact Global in many aspects of its business, including;
| • | Securely storing and creating accurate Voter Registration Information on the blockchain. |
| • | Creating an international capability to administer or joint venture in conducting foreign government elections. |
| • | Creating a secure Internet voting record on the blockchain for online elections. |
| • | Administer Financial Services Elections, such as Proxy’s and shareholder votes. |
| • | Documenting current voting applications. |
| • | Reducing cost and time of delivery, enabling scalability. |
Blockchain Valley Ventures
On June 27, 2019, Blockchain Valley Ventures and GES signed an amended agreement calling for a $25,000 CHF payment for the development and facilitation of an extended workshop with relevant and best in class third party blockchain technology companies, wherein BVV was to serve as an advisor in connection with a Voter Registration, Voter Authentication, and Voter Eligibility using a Blockchain Platform and GES would pay BVV $ 25,000 CHF payment upon completion of the engagement. This agreement replaced a June 19, 2019, engagement letter with Blockchain Valley Ventures (“BVV”) of Zug Switzerland. Under the terms of the original agreement, GES was to pay BVV 50,000 Swiss Francs (CHF).
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GES made payments of $25,000 CHF and received the working paper primarily covering the following matters:
| • | Development and facilitation of an extended workshop with relevant and best in class third party blockchain technology companies such as Phoenix Systems AG, Securosys AG and others as well as any subject matter expert to be invited by Global Election Services Inc. |
| • | Development of a high-level technology solution architecture and its requirements for the blockchain based voting registration platform with inputs from third party blockchain technology. |
| • | Documentation of the results of a) and b) in order to provide the basis of the technical development of the platform. |
| • | Development of an implementation recommendation with respect to Voting on the Blockchain Platform. |
| • | Legal facilitation with respect to outside tax and legal advisors in connection with compliance with local and international regulation. |
| • | Project Management during the engagement. |
The Working Paper discusses a high-level envisaged Blockchain platform, including a foundational flowchart, and implementation recommendation; BVV is a Crypto Valley, Switzerland based venture capital firm who consists of highly successful entrepreneurs, finance experts, blockchain technology experts and ICO experienced analysts and consultants. The documents created will be used by GES, to begin to create a Minimal Viable Product. This Product, along with GES licensing rights on GES existing Registration and Tabulation Software will be owned by GES. The Working Paper was completed in 2022.
GES is developing with TrueVote, Inc. a comprensive end-to-end, decentralized, completely digital voting system. GAHC, GES parent owns 30% of True Vote.The TrueVote Voting System will be based on traditional, proven database methodologies and layered with a “checksum” that is posted on the blockchain, proving all data is immutable and unalterable.
On June 1, 2021, TrueVote issued its White Paper “A transparent Electronic Voting System validated by the Bitcoin Blockchain” TrueVote, Inc. is building a comprehensive end-to-end, de-centralized, completely digital voting system. This will be based on traditional, proven database methodologies, and layered with a "checksum" that's posted on the Blockchain, proving all data is immutable and unalterable. This design will ensure that every vote is transparently counted and verifiable.
True Vote is directed by Brett Morrison recently the Director of Enterprise Information Systems at SpaceX. Brett was as an e-commerce pioneer, getting brands online and creating a new channel for sales at the beginning of the e-commerce boom. Brett co-founded Onestop Internet in 2003 out of his garage and built the original e-commerce and warehouse management software that started the company. Throughout his time as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at Onestop, he oversaw and managed its growth and architected and helped build the new Onestop 2.0 platform. Prior to Onestop, Brett co-founded one of the first photo sharing companies on the Internet, ememories.com, which was sold to PhotoWorks, one of the largest photo processing companies in the U.S. True Vote is also directed by Ped Hasid who graduated UCLA with Magna Cum Laude Honors in 2007. Ped later went on to cofound Block26, a venture vehicle for the DLT space established in 2014, leading the technology and investment strategy for the firm. Block26 to date has financed and incubated innovative projects that aim to enhance consumer adoption of DLT technology.
3) Interactive Communication Software
GES is working to provide our current and future clients with the ability to understand in real time instant communication and feedback with their members, using many social media platforms available today.
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GES is working with third party vendors to:
| • | Communicate a Message – An organization can get their message out clearly in the form required, without any |
| | ○ | unwanted media spin, bias, filtering, or comment. |
| • | Fine Tune Policies – Test-drive policies and projects with immediate response, allowing for responsive adjustments |
| | ○ | to be made to make a message more acceptable to the community. |
| • | Build a Positive Image – Enhancing the concept of ‘open communication’ and ‘democratic politics’, which leads to |
| | ○ | an increasingly positive perception of leaders by their constituents. |
| • | Learn More About a Group – Learning more about a group’s preferences and opinions on an infinite number of |
| | ○ | topics can help the Organization, Institution or League and leaders can better serve its community and |
| | ○ | meet their needs in a variety of ways. |
Management believes this type of interactive software capabilities will give GES an opportunity to offer clients the ability to communicate in real time with their members; raising issues of concern, polling the attitude of their constituencies, interacting in question-and-answer seminars in addition to conducting elections that GES certifies. In short, this software can be used in multiple formats for people to communicate instantly on issues of importance.
4) Tidewater Energy Group was formed for the purpose of creating diversification for the Company. Directed by Jason Old, Tidewater Energy Group brings a number of seasoned, well-respected members of the Energy Industry to the Company.