Stemgeheim

Stemgeheim, often translated as the secret ballot, is the principle that a voter's choices in an election are kept confidential from others, including authorities, to prevent coercion, bribery, and social pressure. The term stems from Dutch, with stem meaning vote and geheim meaning secret. In practice, stemgeheim covers how ballots are cast, recorded, and counted, and it requires that the voter's identity cannot be linked to their vote.

Most democracies protect stemgeheim by law; violations can be crimes, and election authorities enforce procedures such as private voting booths, anonymous ballot papers or electronic interfaces, sealed ballot boxes, and secure chain-of-custody. By safeguarding secrecy, stemgeheim aims to ensure that voters can express their preferences freely without fear of repercussions or inducement.

Historically, the secret ballot emerged in the 19th century as a reform to reduce intimidation and vote buying and to expand voter autonomy. Across countries, implementation varies, but the core aim remains to ensure free choice and to enhance public trust in elections. In modern systems, stemgeheim is maintained even as electoral methods evolve, including paper-based ballots and digital interfaces, through design features that separate voter identity from ballot records.

Contemporary challenges include mail-in and remote voting, which require strong privacy protections and verifiable audit trails to balance accessibility with secrecy. Legal frameworks continue to adapt to new technologies, while maintaining the fundamental right of individuals to vote without disclosure of their selections.

See also: Secret ballot; Voter privacy.