Hmmm, it seems the modern way for autocracies to deal with elections is to control the information space.

So there is two different types (from how I understant it):

One is that elections are just completely fraudulent

The other has legitimate elections (as in, they actually count the votes and not make up numbers) but with a strong propaganda machine that favors the government.

Russia is the first type

Turkey is the second type

I think the USA would become more of a Turkey situation than a Russia situation