A Secret Ballot?

[brainiac]

Two things struck me today when voting. The first is that you do not require any ID to vote, so could give the name of anyone in your constituency if you know their name and address.
More importantly, after you give your name, they look you up on a list of those entitled to vote, and against your name there is a number. That number (say, 729) is then written on the ballot paper - so the vote is compromised, as someone could go through the votes and find out how 729 - me- voted. Not a secret ballot!

[Zacs-Master]

Treacherous poppinjays.
We've descended into Scarlet pimpernel territory now. A century earlier!

[Quizproquo]

The century is not important Zacs, just as long as there's a war on it's all good.

[Zacs-Master]

Gadzooks man, I do believe your right.

[DaisyNonna]

Asking people how they voted negates the secrecy! If in fact it exists

[Hypognosis]

hoards
hordes

#spellcheckwillnotsaveyou

[Hypognosis]

Good link @Mamyalynne

Some of the comments under the article have had chunks copied and pasted into the article (as blog pieces sometimes do).

This para didn't get incorporated but perhaps should have, as it clears up how secrecy is ultimately achieved, under our system.

//
It should be noted that, in the UK, partly because of the counterfoil system, the results are not declared at polling station level. After verification and before sorting, ballot papers are mixed from all the polling stations within the electoral area. Thus there may well be over a hundred concurrent runs of the same voting numbers and it is not feasible to spot and link up a polling number with a ballot paper number.
//

[jno]

wanting to be run by our own elected leaders

lol at this from the land of the House of Lords. Any other countries have archbishops appointed to rule them? Oh yes, Iran.

[Old_Geezer]

It's the same every election.

[dunnitall]

It never has been a secret ballot for the reason you state brainiac, but I agree it's very disturbing about not producing ID to be able to vote because as you say....anyone could do it on ones behalf but quoting name and address. Madness isn't it?