<![CDATA[The election of the South Semarang Youth Organization (Karang Taruna) Chairperson is a democratic organizational process that plays a crucial role in leadership renewal. However, conventional election methods relying on paper ballots face several challenges, such as limited member access, operational costs, the risk of counting errors (human error), and lengthy vote tabulation processes. This study aims to develop a web-based e-voting information system for the South Semarang Youth Organization Chairperson election, incorporating the SHA-256 hashing method as a security mechanism for vote data. The research employs a Research and Development (R&D) methodology using a mixed-methods approach and the Waterfall development model, comprising stages for requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, and evaluation. The system is designed to manage user authentication, voter and candidate data, the voting process, data storage, and automated result tabulation. Applying the SHA-256 algorithm to vote data generates a hash value acting as a digital fingerprint, which preserves data integrity and detects alterations through the avalanche effect mechanism. Research findings indicate that the system enhances the efficiency and transparency of the election process. An analysis of tabulation times reveals that the manual method takes approximately 110 minutes, whereas the e-voting system requires only 2–3 minutes, achieving a time efficiency rate of 97.27%. Consequently, the developed system offers a faster, more accurate, secure, and transparent election solution while supporting the digitalization of the youth organization's electoral processes.]]>
