How to transform autocracy to democracy: Fight fraudulent electoral processes

There are generally two forms of fraudulent electoral practices: blatant fraud and electoral engineering (Szmolka, 2024).

Blatant fraud includes the easily identifiable abuses such as lying about "dead voters," ballot theft or destruction, obvious gerrymandering, targeted voter disqualification, polling place intimidation, and more.

Electoral engineering is less visible and includes more subtle but equally fraudulent practices such as patronage (which can burst into occasional high visibility and blatant fraud when a campaign donor is awarded an unelected government position, e.g. Elon Musk clearly linking his massive financial support for Trump's election to his desired DOGE). Some of the less visible but ethically dubious practices also include rewards for opposition party members remaining the loyal opposition, that is, nominally opposed but not fighting for much.

Pushing everyone who is elected to get much more active and effective is one way to fight the fraud and prevent, take down, or roll back autocracy.

References

Szmolka, I. (2024). Electoral engineering in autocracies: Effects of the 2021 electoral reform on Morocco’s parliamentary elections. Mediterranean Politics, 29(5), 700–728. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.pdx.edu/10.1080/13629395.2023.2194153