Election crime tends to be covert, regionally conspired, organized and oftentimes fail to be recognized as a crime. It is a criminal offense defined by the Election Law and can perpetrators can be prosecuted.
Election crime can be classified into bribery, malicious propaganda, election participation by government employees, illegal activities disguised as legal activities, establishment of private organizations for election campaigns, and election violence amongst others.
Generally, election campaigns executed by election candidates are divided into a candidate preparations period, preparatory election campaign/race preparations period, and election campaign period. The election crimes that can take place in these processes area as follows.
Election preparations office establishment, election planning team organization, and voter list preparations take place during the candidate preparations period. The election crimes that can take place during this period include establishment/operation of private organizations disguised as election preparations offices, use of money to scout members for election planning teams, and voter bribery during voter interviews. Primary candidate election office installation/opening ceremony, public survey for voter analysis, promotional activities, media activities, and voter support acquisition/expansion take place during the preparatory election campaign/race preparations period. The election crimes that can take place in this period include provision of meals to voters during opening ceremonies, illegal election campaign-purpose public surveys, distribution of illegal business cards, inappropriate use of the media, and remuneration of election campaign group members.
During the election campaign period, when full-scale election campaign activities unfold, election crimes, such as false information distribution, malicious propaganda, voter bribery, provision of meals to voters during campaign seminars, and remuneration of promotions (visiting, telephone) personnel.
In order to prevent such election crimes, candidates must be promptly identified to analyze the candidates themselves as well as key figures around them and execute continuous election crime preventative activities during the candidate preparations period.
During the preparatory election campaign/race preparations period, accurate and prompt administration of activities taking place during this period must take place from the very beginning through the establishment of a preventative infrastructure and increased surveillance. Finally, absolutely stringent control of campaign activities is required during the election campaign period. This means that minor election crimes must be corrected through executive orders and major crime activities, such as meal provision, malicious propaganda, campaign activities by government employees, and establishment/operation of private organizations, must be handled in accordance with the law.