[Osx-nutters] : OpenVoting

[Arden]

On Aug 10, 2006, at 5:10 PM, Patrick Coskren wrote:

> It's to make it harder to coerce people into voting a particular  
> way.  If the ballot is secret, then you can just lie about who you  
> voted for.  The history of Western democracy has enough examples of  
> political violence that I think secret ballots are pretty  
> important.  The article you reference acknowledges that point, but  
> doesn't effectively rebut it.

I agree that the secret ballot is necessary in most elections.  
Probably the smaller and more local, the greater the need for  
secrecy. In exit polls, voters leaving are asked who they voted for  
and a majority don't feel the need for secrecy.

There aren't any secret ballots in Congress. Just think how bad that  
would be. The secret ballot seems only to be used in the election of  
public officials and no where else. The invitation for abuse seems  
overwhelming.

In the election for President though, I really don't see the need for  
secrecy. It's not like the vote there actually has any real standing.  
The Electoral College elects our President.

Arden