Voting Application: A Secure and Organized Voting System

This is a backend implementation for a voting system where users can vote for candidates. It provides functionalities for user authentication, candidate management, and voting.

Functionality

User Roles:

• Registration & Login: Users register and log in securely using their Aadhar Card number and password.
• Password Management: Users can update their passwords for enhanced security.
• Candidate Information: Access a comprehensive list of available candidates.
• Casting Votes: Users can only cast a single vote.
• Live Vote Count: View a list of candidates with real-time vote counts.
• User Verification: Aadhar Card verification guarantees user authenticity.

Admin Roles:

• Candidate Management: Add, edit, or remove candidates from the system.
• Impartiality: Admins are barred from voting, maintaining a neutral environment.

Technology Stack

• Node.js: JavaScript runtime environment for server-side operations.
• Express.js: Web framework for building a clean and efficient application structure.
• MongoDB: NoSQL database for flexible storage of user and candidate data.
• JSON Web Tokens (JWT): Enables secure user authentication and authorization.

Installation Guide

1. Clone the Repository:

git clone https://github.com/jinx-vi-0/voting_app.git

2. Navigate to Project Directory:

cd voting_app

3. Install Dependencies:

npm install

4. Configure Environment Variables:

Create a .env file and add the following, replacing placeholders with your details:

PORT=3000
MONGO_URL=mongodb://localhost:27017/Voting_App
JWT_SECRET=your_secret_key_here

Note: Keep the JWT secret key private and secure.

5. Start the Server:

npm start

API Endpoints

User Authentication:

• Sign Up (POST /signup): Creates a new user account.
• Login (POST /login): Authenticates user with Aadhar Card number and password.

Candidates:

• Get Candidates (GET /candidate): Retrieves the list of candidates.
• Add Candidate (POST /candidate) (Admin Only): Creates a new candidate entry.
• Update Candidate (PUT /candidate/:id) (Admin Only): Modifies existing candidate details.
• Delete Candidate (DELETE /candidate/:id) (Admin Only): Removes a candidate from the list.

Voting:

• Get Vote Count (GET /candidate/vote/count): Retrieves a list of candidates sorted by vote counts.
• Vote for Candidate (POST /candidate/vote/:id) (User Only): Casts a vote for a specific candidate.

User Profile:

• Get Profile (GET /user/profile): Retrieves user profile information.
• Change Password (PUT /user/profile/password): Allows users to update their passwords.

Conclusion

This application prioritizes a secure and verifiable voting experience. User data is protected, and features like unique identification and real-time vote counts ensure fair elections.