[pinkfoot]

>No, largely because of the secret vote and the fact that there is no way anyone can verify how "you" voted after the fact. So you can lie to the thug threatening you with a wrench that you voted for "candidate A" and the thug has no way to know otherwise.

Sadly, the thug also knows this. But what the thug (=ruling party) does know is whether an entire voting district votes for the opposition.

Then they come down hard on the entire district. In all sorts of creative ways.

[luckylion]

> Sadly, the thug also knows this. But what the thug (=ruling party) does know is whether an entire voting district votes for the opposition.

It's not so much about the ruling party - if they want to steal the vote, they can just just send an officer into the booth with you that makes sure you're not cheating.

It's more about those that don't have that ability, e.g. religious groups, families, social circles. That's why ballot selfies are sometimes outlawed and generally strongly discouraged: if it's illegal and punishable to prove to third parties how you voted, you have plausible deniability for why you can't produce proof.