The following is an extract from our short explainer “Things You Might Not Know About Elections.” You can find the entire explainer here: https://cffad.org/things-you-might-not-know-about-elections/
In the previous two weeks, we covered universal voting rights. This week, we look at the secret ballot. What is it’s history and what problem does it solve?
The “secret ballot” is so universal these days that it is assumed to be a defining feature of democracy. In fact, there are still some examples of voting in the open for all to see. The “caucus” system used by some political parties in some American states to elect presidential delegates is a notable example. In caucus systems, participants divide themselves into groups according to the candidate they support. At the end, the number of voters in each group, visible to all, determines how many delegates each candidate has won. Such exceptions are the overwhelming minority, however. (The use of the caucus system has been falling over time. As of 2024, only five states use it: Nevada, North Dakota, Iowa, Utah, and Wyoming.)
Why is the secret ballot important to trustworthy elections? The main idea is that having one’s vote kept secret prevents coercion and vote-buying. Being able to trace a specific vote to a specific voter opens the possibility that partisan actors will manipulate an election. They can pay for votes, or if that doesn’t work, they can threaten violence against those who vote against their preferred candidate. This is a clear risk for those voters in Gambia openly tossing marbles into cans.
Secret ballots – also known as “Australian Ballots” because they were first used in Australia in 1856 – were introduced as a reform meant to protect voters from being bought or harassed for “wrong” votes. It has become near-universal because it has been remarkably successful in this regard.
Secret ballots became common in the United States as a reform against voter coercion between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. Before that time, many powerful groups – including labor unions and party bosses – often supplied pre-printed ballots with the expectation that their members would submit those as their vote. Failing to do so could result in losing status or privileges within the group. Bribery, firing threats by employers, and physical intimidation were also common tactics before the introduction of secret ballots.
Introducing “Australian Ballots” that were a) publicly paid for, b) cast in secret, and c) untraceable to the individual voter made it impossible for groups in power to check if individual voters cast their ballots in the desired way. Without the capacity to punish voters who didn’t vote for the chosen candidate, the power of these “political machines” to coerce people was reduced.
Question: Do you think ballot-selfies are a risk? State governments are divided. Click here to learn more.
The takeaway from today is that secret ballots increase trust in elections by reducing opportunities for political corruption and manipulation through election violence and bribery.
Next week, we begin an investigation of election integrity.
If you want to learn more about elections, we have a 9-part course, each part is a 20-minute read. Easy! Click here: https://cffad.org/things-you-might-not-know-about-elections/
