Ballot Secrecy vs. Vote Verification: A Delicate Balance
TL/DR
U.S. ballot secrecy laws prevent voters from personally verifying their vote was counted for a specific candidate, protecting privacy but limiting direct confirmation.
Election integrity is maintained through aggregate safeguards like audits, recounts, and bipartisan oversight rather than individual receipts or tracking.
Alternatives such as end-to-end verifiable voting could allow personal verification without revealing choices, but face technical, legal, and trust challenges.
The Threat of Voter Suppression Tactics Disguised as Fraud Prevention to US Elections
TL/DR
Efforts by some Republicans to enact laws aimed at preventing voter fraud are largely unsubstantiated by statistical evidence and may suppress voter turnout, especially among minority groups.
Strict voter ID laws have been shown to widen the turnout gap between white and minority voters, and despite claims of widespread fraud, the incidence of voter fraud, particularly with mail-in ballots, is minuscule.
Restrictions on voting methods like mail-in voting, despite being framed as fraud prevention, disproportionately affect certain demographic groups and threaten the fundamental right to vote, underscoring the need for policies that ensure equal access to the ballot.