It doesn't need to simply be a matter of intimidation if you lose the secret ballot... what about someone organizing lots of voters short on cash and promising twenty bucks if you can show an official "I voted for candidate X" slip? A paper trail also opens up the possibility of vote buying.

Carcasonne is an excellent entry point into the world of strategy board gaming. The rules can be learned in about 15 minutes, but it takes many games to really get a sense of winning strategies. It is also infinitely replayable, since the board is different every time you play. Truly, one of the great games of the last few years.