Two ballots doesn't "equal two votes per voter."  It equals two choices of party (and affiliated candidates) only with the voter expected to choose one "side", unless the voter is a moron and/or a cheat. Is that what you're saying?  It's my understanding that each person voted once; there were no double votes. So it appears the problem is with letting non-republicans potentially vote ONCE on the republican ticket.  That's only illegal because the republicans are paranoid.