North Korea, it’s safe to say, is hardly regarded as a bastion of democracy. The country is known for single-candidate elections characterized by nearly perfect turnout. The latest democracy index by the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked the DPRK 165th out of 167 countries, while giving its electoral system a score of zero out of 10.

But earlier this year, the country introduced reforms that allow for competitive primaries with two candidates in some districts, ahead of local elections scheduled for Nov. 26. The change introduces at least a modicum of choice into an infamously choiceless system, though the extent