Electoral Malpractices and Fraud

Abstract

This paper explores an overlooked mechanism through which election fraud may occur at polling stations -- through election malpractices. I argue that partisan election officials may use "simple" violations of electoral laws to perpetrate electoral fraud. Such acts often go undetected. This helps to explain the occurrence of fraud even at polling stations monitored by election observers. I use polling station level data collected during Ghana’s 2012 general election to test my argument. I find that electoral malpractices are systematically correlated with fraud, and malpractices occur more frequently in competitive electoral districts. This suggests malpractices are often purposeful attempts to commit fraud.