Each of the three words protects something different.
A free election leaves the decision with eligible voters. An equal election does not grant extra votes because someone earns more. In a secret election, nobody should be able to determine how a particular person marked their ballot.
“General” and “direct” also belong to the constitutional list. General means access in principle without distinctions such as sex, income or religion, within statutory eligibility. Direct means there is no electoral college making an additional choice between voters and the elected members.
The other three answers
Familiar positive words do not replace the legal terms.
open, secure, free.
“Open” would be misleading if it meant exposing the individual choice. The public may scrutinise the procedure; personal voting remains secret. “Secure” also does not replace equal.
closed, equal, secure.
“Closed” is not a principle in Article 38. Election administration is not generally concealed from the public. This group also omits free choice and secrecy.
secure, open, voluntary.
Participation is voluntary in Germany, but this group names neither equality nor secrecy. “Open” and “secure” do not form the group being asked for.
Equal counting does not mean identical electoral success.
A vote for an unsuccessful candidate is counted under the same rules. There are restrictions on influence over seat allocation that require justification, such as the threshold. Equality is a legal standard, not a promise that every preference receives a seat.
Secrecy concerns protected voting. It prohibits neither public political discussion nor voluntarily expressing one’s views. Permissible voting assistance must respect the voter’s wishes and remain confidential.
Article 38 · Basic Law ↗Choose freely. Count equally. Vote secretly.
This answer needs the group of three. Add general and direct for the complete list.
Three words for this question
- der Wahlgrundsatzelectoral principle
- A basic requirement governing how an election is organised.
- die Zählwertgleichheitequal counting value
- Each vote is considered under the same counting rule.
- unmittelbardirect
- Without an intervening electoral college making the choice.