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Unveiling the Vote

Author

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  • Brennan, Geoffrey
  • Pettit, Philip

Abstract

The case for secrecy in voting depends on the assumption that voters reliably vote for the political outcomes they want to prevail. No such assumption is valid. Accordingly, voting procedures should be designed to provide maximal incentive for voters to vote responsibly. Secret voting fails this test because citizens are protected from public scrutiny. Under open voting, citizens are publicly answerable for their electoral choices and will be encouraged thereby to vote in a discursively defensible manner. The possibility of bribery, intimidation or blackmail moderates this argument but such dangers will be avoidable in many contemporary societies without recourse to secrecy.

Suggested Citation

  • Brennan, Geoffrey & Pettit, Philip, 1990. "Unveiling the Vote," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 311-333, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:20:y:1990:i:03:p:311-333_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicolás Maloberti, 2019. "Markets in votes: Alienability, strict secrecy, and political clientelism," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 18(2), pages 193-215, May.
    2. Geoffrey Brennan, 2008. "Crime and punishment: an expressive voting view," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 237-252, December.

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