[noirscape]

Because the Russians (don't know about China) also don't try to hide it.

Not hiding your election fraud isn't always a sign of incompetence; it's also a show of power over the people these dictatorships are oppressing. In Russia, the election is blatantly forged[0]. The goal here isn't just to validate the dictatorship it's to dare you to speak up against it so the nice men with guns can knock on your door and tell you to knock it off, whether that's nicely or less nicely.

[0]: https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/10/11/russian-...

[wruza]

Knock it off why? The electorate doesn’t care, it will never get to tv or average feed or even have effect on an average person who barely understands the graph. Everyone knows it’s rigged. This “power show” argument copes with dumb reality more than anything else, it is a HNer idea of how to be a dictator. Power doesn’t need to show itself in such an intricate way, as if it was hiding. It’s right in your face all the time.