> authoritarian countries that issue modern e-passports but do not allow free elections
Those tend to not issue passports (of any kind) to many citizens.
Then there's access. In America for example only half the adults in the country even have a passport, and I suspect that skews quite heavily towards one demographic. Do you think that India, Nigeria, or Russia have more equitable access?
And even if they did, what stops the state issuing extra fake passports to citizens they want to vote.
of course then there's key elements of a free election, freedom of access to the ballot paper, freedom to campaign the same as others, freedom from imprisonment because you are running against the incumbent leader, having each vote being worth the same. Many countries prevent people in jail from voting, or even people who used to be in jail. Many countries give more power to one constituency than another, almost all have some level of unequal access to campaigning.
It's not a "Free election" or "no election".
The actual casting of the vote is only part of the story.
Those tend to not issue passports (of any kind) to many citizens.
Then there's access. In America for example only half the adults in the country even have a passport, and I suspect that skews quite heavily towards one demographic. Do you think that India, Nigeria, or Russia have more equitable access?
And even if they did, what stops the state issuing extra fake passports to citizens they want to vote.
of course then there's key elements of a free election, freedom of access to the ballot paper, freedom to campaign the same as others, freedom from imprisonment because you are running against the incumbent leader, having each vote being worth the same. Many countries prevent people in jail from voting, or even people who used to be in jail. Many countries give more power to one constituency than another, almost all have some level of unequal access to campaigning.
It's not a "Free election" or "no election".
The actual casting of the vote is only part of the story.