What is electoral fraud?
Q: What is electoral fraud?
A: Electoral fraud, or vote rigging, is any alteration or change of the vote count in an election that affects the outcome. It can involve increasing the vote share of one candidate or by lowering the vote count of another, as well as casting more than one ballot if only one is permitted.
Q: How does electoral fraud vary from country to country?
A: What defines electoral fraud under law varies from country to country. Some kinds are outlawed in specific electoral laws while others violate general laws such as those banning assault, harassment or libel.
Q: What are some effects of successful electoral fraud?
A: In national elections, successful electoral fraud can have the effect of a coup d'état or corruption of democracy. Even if the outcome is not affected, it can still reduce voters' confidence in democracy and lead to a breakdown of democracy and establishment or ratification of a dictatorship.
Q: Is electoral fraud limited to public office elections?
A: No, elections for other positions such as corporate directors, labor union officials and student council members are also subject to similar forms of fraud. Additionally sports judging and awarding merit to works of art and literature may be subject to fraudulent activities as well.
Q: Are all acts related to electoral fraud illegal?
A: Technically speaking yes but generally some acts considered morally unacceptable outside the spirit of electoral laws may also be classified as "electoral fraud".
Q: Does perception play a role in how damaging fraudulent elections can be?
A: Yes, even if an election result isn't affected by fraudulent activity it can still damage voter's confidence in democracy due to their perception that something untoward has occurred.
