About This Publication
Winning elections requires numbers. Politicians need numbers from electorates to be elected
into office. Because politicians may employ unsavoury tactics to get those numbers from both
eligible and ineligible voters, elections laws regulating electoral practices can be enacted to
serve as deterrents to illicit electoral practices and ensure a level ground for all participating
candidates. Comprehensive and strong election laws and regulations guarantee free, fair, and
credible elections – when their implementers (institutions and officers) are of high
professionalism and integrity, adequately resourced to pursue their mandates, and can operate
without political interference.
In a democracy where accountability is guaranteed, politicians are less likely to engage in
electoral fraud to get those numbers from voters. This does not mean they are not ready to take
the risk of violating election laws to stay in office or defeat incumbents. The common risk
taken by politicians, in violating the electoral code of conduct, is vote buying. In this paper, we
will discuss the nature of vote buying in The Gambia.