Michael Barone knows a thing or two about elections.
Just curious, did you read the article before replying? Even if they use a fake name and ID, it has to be the same one they registered as, since the picture, signature, and hologram on their voter ID card has to match the copy of same in the register book, verified by 3 different poll workers (2 before voting and 1 before the ballot is accepted.) They are also fingerprinted in ink to keep them from voting more than once. Not nearly as easy to get around as our system.
But seriously, wouldn't something like, say, a barcode on the forehead or an emplanted microchip be easier?
I agree, Barone is about as knowledgable about politics as anyone around. If he's impressed by Mexico's system, then so am I. Surprising to say, but absent my own personal direct research and knowledge, I'll go with Barone's.
Here's how it REALLY works:
22:00--12 hours later. The polls close. Televisa films the box being locked and certified with an election seal, then rushes to get tape in. After Televisa is nowhere to be seen. The ballot box and the election register are taken into the back room. The person running the district for the local boss opens it, and waits for a phone call from the party contact at the D.F. voting offices to give him the margin that his district must meet. He counts the votes, either until he has that margin set and then discards the ballots by 'spoiling' them, or by assessing the current ballot totals and faking ballots for his preferred candidate until the proper margin is reached, with additional names checked in the election register if necessary.
It don't mean a damn thing that Televisa's around and the polls are conducted fairly when the smoky backrooms doing the counting are run by the bosses and ain't no Televisa to see `em.