Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Details Matter : Secluded Areas and Voting Secrecy with French Ballots

Esaiasson, Peter ; Fredén, Annika LU and Teorell, Jan (2023) In Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy 22(4). p.327-336
Abstract
To explore the psychology of voting secrecy, we conducted a field experiment to examine voter sensitivity to arrangements for ballot paper selection under the French ballot system (i.e., multiple ballot papers). Working closely with Swedish election authorities, we randomly assigned participants to vote in a fictional election under low, medium-high and high privacy conditions with a follow up paper-and-pen survey to record perceived voting secrecy. Results show that participants perceived an arrangement for selecting ballot papers behind a closed screen as clearly more secret than one where selection was public, and that a third and even more private arrangement, where voters did not have to walk a few meters with ballot papers in hand,... (More)
To explore the psychology of voting secrecy, we conducted a field experiment to examine voter sensitivity to arrangements for ballot paper selection under the French ballot system (i.e., multiple ballot papers). Working closely with Swedish election authorities, we randomly assigned participants to vote in a fictional election under low, medium-high and high privacy conditions with a follow up paper-and-pen survey to record perceived voting secrecy. Results show that participants perceived an arrangement for selecting ballot papers behind a closed screen as clearly more secret than one where selection was public, and that a third and even more private arrangement, where voters did not have to walk a few meters with ballot papers in hand, potentially visible to onlookers, provided even higher levels of perceived secrecy. The study demonstrates that voters are sensitive even to small changes in the voting environment. Accordingly, election administrators should be aware that details matter for the experience of voting secretly. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
valsedlar, valsystem, fältexperiment, electoral systems, ballot papers, Field experiment
in
Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy
volume
22
issue
4
pages
327 - 336
publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85174633428
ISSN
1533-1296
DOI
10.1089/elj.2022.0011
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d69e26ca-c1dd-4269-b7e9-5847ced2b0d8
date added to LUP
2023-11-03 13:57:33
date last changed
2024-01-09 15:45:17
@article{d69e26ca-c1dd-4269-b7e9-5847ced2b0d8,
  abstract     = {{To explore the psychology of voting secrecy, we conducted a field experiment to examine voter sensitivity to arrangements for ballot paper selection under the French ballot system (i.e., multiple ballot papers). Working closely with Swedish election authorities, we randomly assigned participants to vote in a fictional election under low, medium-high and high privacy conditions with a follow up paper-and-pen survey to record perceived voting secrecy. Results show that participants perceived an arrangement for selecting ballot papers behind a closed screen as clearly more secret than one where selection was public, and that a third and even more private arrangement, where voters did not have to walk a few meters with ballot papers in hand, potentially visible to onlookers, provided even higher levels of perceived secrecy. The study demonstrates that voters are sensitive even to small changes in the voting environment. Accordingly, election administrators should be aware that details matter for the experience of voting secretly.}},
  author       = {{Esaiasson, Peter and Fredén, Annika and Teorell, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1533-1296}},
  keywords     = {{valsedlar; valsystem; fältexperiment; electoral systems; ballot papers; Field experiment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{327--336}},
  publisher    = {{Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.}},
  series       = {{Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy}},
  title        = {{Details Matter : Secluded Areas and Voting Secrecy with French Ballots}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/163705527/EsaiassonFredenTeorell_Acceptedversion_DetailsMatter_2023.docx}},
  doi          = {{10.1089/elj.2022.0011}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}