secret ballot

     Even though many of us vote electronically now, we still call our method of voting a "secret ballot" system. A secret ballot was a piece of paper. Every voter was given a paper ballot, which he or she filled out and put in a box. The box had a slot in the top, and a lock on the front so that it couldn't be opened except to officially count the votes. No one knew who anyone else had voted for.
     We still don't know who has voted for which candidate--that is why voters must register and identify themselves. Since all of this is done before we vote, no one needs to know the details of any particular vote to make sure that an election is fair. Election officials will already know that each voter has voted only once.
     Secret ballot is important. When elections were public, pressure was often put on voters to vote with the more powerful party. Many people were afraid to vote for the candidate they actually preferred--they feared losing their jobs if their employer found out about their vote. They feared becoming unpopular. In some countries, they feared being arrested or imprisoned. Here in the United States, we don't need to fear reprisals for our votes--because of our secret ballot system.
    If you would like to see a movie about election fraud, you can watch the Hollywood classic The Great McGinty.