Electoral mal practices in Latin America: shaping electoral preferences in Presidential and Legislative Elections 2000-2012

• In Event: Electoral reforms and changes in party fortune: Explaining instability in Latin American elections

Abstract

Governments elected through regular, free and competitive electoral processes are regarded as a critical change in the history of democracy in Latin America. Despite this central political transformation, there are still problems of fairness, accountability and transparency in the elections and old and new electoral mal practices still persist in the region. Recent studies have advanced some knowledge on the integrity of elections and electoral malpractice, though much more research is needed (Birch, 2010, 2011; Alvarez and Boehmke, 2008; Elklit and Reynolds, 2005). From observers reports, survey data and party allegations we know that one pervasive electoral malpractice in the region is vote buying and vote coercion, however they have been poorly analyzed systematically. Limited evidence, permissive electoral rules and non decision making by the electoral management bodies have made difficult to examine and gather evidence on these electoral malpractices that intend to shape electoral preferences. But, how extensive is vote buying in Latin American elections? Under what conditions parties, in general, and the party in government, in particular, carry out vote buying or vote intimidation? How effective these electoral malpractices are? This paper intends to advance some answers to these questions by focusing on the manipulation of electoral preferences -vote buying and vote intimidation- which affects the nature of political competition and may produce an unlevelled playing field that benefits the incumbent party, or other parties within the system. I argue that the manipulation of electoral preferences represents the violation of the rules and international standards of democratic elections. To fulfill this purpose I use first and second hand information such as electoral laws, electoral results, parties’ allegations (claims), survey data and research studies.

Author

• Irma Méndez de Hoyos, FLACSO México