How can an election be true "free and fair" ever? The ruling party can always use its advantage in media, money etc. to crush opposition parties, so ruling party would always have an unfair advantage over others.
It can be controlled by a fully functioning judiciary and police force.
There are strict laws for political parties and what they can or cant do. If youre thinking of the USA, yes i think the US system is not completeley democratic (i know americans will disagree), as it allows lobbying and donations from rich people. The USA in reality is plutocracy masked a a democracy.
But in a communistic one party system the power of that party ie the party leadership, is absolute. Criticism may be allowed but only to certain point.
Go beyond that and youre executed. In a open democracy, any citizen can curse or criticize a politican right in his face, literally.
Remember that its always holly dolly fun when a economy is growing, like in China, then its easy for a one party state because very few complains. But if the economy is in trouble all that pent up fustration will create huge problem, when people cant openly demonstrate or criticize. People arent allowed to choose who they want to rule the country. It will be bloody eventually.
How it can be called "free" when the voters are bombarded daily with propaganda,, in the streets going to work, in their offices, in media and back in their apartments.
Its like when you are in mall, youre bombarded with offfers and thousand items. In the end its upto each individual to wisely choose what he/she thinks is the right choice.
In late 1990s, when I was living in the UK, my apartment was flooded every days with leaflets asking me to vote for Tory or for Labour. Can that be called "free" when media controls your mind and even your decision?
Maybe you lived in a area where it was like that.
Never happened where i live , during any elections. Heck most of the time i almost forget its even a election day. My experience is from the Nordic democracy. Others have to answer for their own country.