The 10 most corrupt elections

Robert Mugabe's "remarkable victory" (© John Simpson) has set a new standard in the conduct of election campaigns.

But he is not, of course, alone. Here is Comment Central's top ten list of rigged elections of the post war era.

Please add your own suggestions and then, using the irony and wit for which this blog is renowned, we will hold an internet vote to determine the most rigged election of the modern era.

Here's our list:

1) Saddam Hussein

In 2002, Hussein's officials proclaimed that the president had won every single one of 11,445,638 votes in a referendum on his rule. In the previous election, he had won some 99.96% of the vote. Polling stations dispensed with curtained booths. Voters were grateful for this innovation - no-one wanted to be suspected of voting 'no.'

2) Kenya election

The victory of President Mwai Kibaki in the 2007 Kenyan elections came as a surprise given that he had fallen behind opponent Raila Odinga in every poll. Accusations of invented results, excluded election observers and systematic fraud were made. Violence escalated until rioting was quelled by a power-sharing agreement in February 2008

3) Islamists in Algeria

In December 1991 elections were held in Algeria. The Islamic Salvation Front won the first round with a large majority but the army refused to acknowledge a religious political party. In 1992 the government annulled the election results. This triggered the Algerian Civil War and more than 160,000 deaths over the next decade.

4) The Orange Revolution

When Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych declared victory in an election run-off in November 2004, accusations of vote rigging broke out. It then emerged that opponent Viktor Yushchenko had been poisoned with dioxin, permanently disfiguring his appearance. His orange-clad supporters held mass protests and Yushchenko won the second contest with 52% of the vote. He was sworn in in January 2005. UPDATE: In response to comments, the Orange Revolution was obviously the response to a corrupt election, not corrupt itself.

5) Milosevic's final hurrah:

Slobodan Milosevic thought he was being clever when he moved to a two round system for Presidential elections in 2000. He systematically stuffed ballots and then refused to accept that he had suffered a first round defeat. The resulting demonstrations caused arrests that quickly snowballed. It wasn't long before President Milosevic had changed his name to ex-President Milosevic.

6) The Polish People's Referendum

After the war the Polish State Council organised a referendum designed to help solidify communist control of the country.  Overwhelming yes votes were organised to confirm various aspects of communist policy. The police organised ballot stuffing, while military votes were cast under command. Documents later published showed that the real result was overwhelming defeat for all the communist proposals. About 10,000 Soviet opponents were killed in the two or three years after the war.

7) Egyptian Presidential Election

President Mubarak won this election in 2005 with 88.6% of the vote. It was the first ever election with mutiple parties but the Muslim Brotherhood were barred from taking part. Other irregularities included a failure to use indelible ink on voters hands (so that they could cast their ballots repeatedly) and intimidation at the polling stations. Protests were ignored.

8) Supreme Soviet Elections

The Soviet era held a sucession of corrupt elections where single candidates stood for a rubber-stamp government. It was not until 1989 that Russians were able to vote for anyone other than the official Communist Party candidates. It was the first open election since 1917.

9) Burma

Following rule by the military for three decades, Burma held free elections in May 1990. Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory with 392 out of 489 seats. But the army-led government refused to acknowledge the victory, annulling the results and placing Suu Kyi under house arrest. She has remained there on and off ever since.

10) Nigeria

The April 2007 elections were denounced for widespread intimidation, violence and fraud. Umaru Yar'Adua supposedly took 70% of the vote amid claims that only 30% of the ballot papers had been distributed. In one polling stations, more than 2000 votes were registered despite the fact that there were only 500 voters. Attempts to petition the courts and invalidate the election failed.

Comments

[TB]

2000.. Gore...Bush....no?

[Andrew]

Now that we have the Kriegler Commission looking into our last election malpractices (Kenya), all you Raila Odinga apologists will see him for what he is. I cant blame you for being sucked into every "3rd world saviour's" bandwagon. After all, these same individuals end up being the despots of tomorrow (Mugabe, Castro, Biya, Museveni,.....). Odinga's party has been found to have rigged, but what sets him apart for criticism is the violent nature of his activities. Learn to see the real picture and not to rely on political spin. Thank you.

[Rick Cain, Tulsa,OK]

11) United States - The 2000 and 2004 elections were riddled with vote counting fraud, voter disenfranchisement, non-working voting machines and vote-flipping.
None of this was accidental since all vote tallying companies are run by GOP supporters, the pushes to take people off voting rolls, and the activisim to keep the poor and minorities from voting were all republican efforts.

[Martin C]

The most dishonest, rigged vote that has taken place recently belongs to our own EU. The Irish voted 'No' to the EU constitution (a.k.a. the Lisbon treaty) but the EU commission is simply going to ignore this result, as it did with France and Holland before them.
At least with Saddam Hussein there was the pretence that the vote actually meant something.

[the burningman]

Um, George W. Bush?

I mean, really. He campaigned as a "compassionate conservative" – then the election in Florida was handed over to Bush by a hard-right Supreme Court. He won the election alright... by a 5-4 split decision, the population be damned.

We got years of war, losing wars at that, with a destruction of civil liberties including widespread spying and torture. His second election included widespread vote suppression campaigns aimed at African-Americans, and serious concerns about electronic vote-rigging (particularly in Ohio).

I think that makes the list. So do most Americans.

[haralambos]

Where's Bush's election? How do we hope to enjoy any kind of credibilty in this world when we dispaly this kind of historical amnesia? Bush's election should be right on top for exactly this reason - his election was the most devious, most sophisticated, most ground-breaking, and caused the most damage.

[Stephen]

What about the USA 2000? A corrupt result in the presidential election if there ever was one. Bush stole that election and got his buddies on the Supreme Court to rubber stamp the validation. In determining the most corrupt election, however, one cannot go wrong in selecting almost any so called election on the continent of Africa. I laughed out loud when reading how Mugabe's buddies of the African Union proclamed him the legitimate victor. A den of thieves and robbers if there ever was one. When will the US and the EU wake up and realize any money given to almost any country in Africa is money poured down the proverbial "rat hole?"

Bush v Gore 2000 should be number one.

[drew]

What about the US elections in 2000? Is the writer being too selective. Those elections where not your quintessential Western Elections. The writer also forgot the Nigerian elections which took place last year.

[Daron]

It's all that violence that broke out in the States around Bush's "whatver" election that really clinches the USA's place on this list isn't it?

[Paola]

All elections in Mexico. During 70 years the same party was in power and before the election every body knew who will be the next president. The worst was in 1988 when clearly the left party won and mysteriously the "system crashed", of course, the results latter gave the victory to the official candidate. And then in 2006 something very similar happened again. Former colonies have a very hard time fighting against dictators. A shame...

[xscharm]

Somehow Florida's not in the top ten? Andrew said it best: "all vote tallying companies are run by GOP supporters." Worth repeating. The CEO of one said he would do ANYTHING to help Republicans win. The results: Bush has thrown $600 billion down the Iraqi toilet. Several hundred billion went to George Bush's friends in no-bid contracts. Mugabe and Bush will be intimate friends in Hell.

[Free Man]

In comments mentioned above, everyone have collectively agreed that the Bush election 2000 was one of corruption and unfairness. Also mentioned is the Mexican elections. This shows the bias of the Times in its reposting, since it refuses to look at Western Europe and USA. SHAME ON The Times!!

[Seattle]

How egotistical and deluded can people be to try to place the Bush election in the 10 ten worst ...especially Steven saying that it should be number 1. Try moving outside of your "podunk" little town and your moms basement and learn a little about how the real world operates. Yeah, the last election was VERY VERY questionable, yeah the war in Iraq is a travesty...but like it or not, the election fit nowhere near the top 10 in the most corrupt elections in the post war era.

[Charles. A]

TB's comments cannot go unchallenged. Odinga represents change from the kleptocratic classes who will do anything to maintain the status quo. Kenya deserves to be in this list. Weren't Kibaki's supporters violent too, and why selectively prosecute Odinga's supporters and not Kibaki's?

[M.Lester]

The people who write in belittling the USA & its president are emty-headed left-wing types who really have no concept of totalitarianism or the problems in Africa. DF's nominees are real basket cases; it would be good for the left-wing if they were subject to this sort of scenario - how about visiting Harare - I mean Salisbury - chaps?

[Dr. Michael Chilton]

Sadly, you have forgotten the frauds perpetrated by a certain Mr. Gordon Brown of 10,Downing Street, London. I refer to his breath-taking refusal to let the electors of the United Kingdom decide in a referendum whether or not they want any part in the crooked European Union. Nor should you forget that a year ago this same crooked socialist politician denied us a General Election. Yet he has the brass neck to lecture people about "decency" and "fairness"! However, what can one expect of a guy who licks the arses of American presidents?

[warren]

2000 Bush selection was the worst of all time if you ask me. The U.S.A should be ashamed of itself for throwing stones at Africa while having the biggest glass house there is. Hypocracy is at all time highs in America !

[SharonB]

For all you posters that comment about the 2000 US election, let me remind you that a recount paid for by newspapers found that Bush had actually won. It was dumb Democrats in Palm Beach County that couldn't mark the correct spot on a Democrat designed ballot that gave the result to Bush. Also, waiting in line to vote anywhere is not disenfranchisement!

[Austin Scott]

The 1960 US presidential election, in which Kennedy defeated Nixon was widely thought to have been fixed by Mayor Daley in Chicago and LBJ in Texas. For most of their existence Democrats have had far superior election-rigging success; Jim Crow in the South ensured that the winner of the Democratic primary was the de facto election winner, and the Boston, Chicago, etc, machines were similarly effective.

[John Eamer]

The 2000 US presidential election as it was stolen by the courts in full view of the world.

[iain]

I am so fed up with this planet! Power corrupts people so quickly, and the absurd maniacs like Mugabe who are so desperate to run countries are too greedy, too violent and too stupid to do anyone any good at all.

[Hevallo]

The problem is you are backing Mugabe into a corner.

Even the white racist regime of Ian Smith was not sent to The Hauge to face war crime charges.....nor the Aparthied regime of South Africa.

He needs room to be able to retire gracefully from view.

[Gorge]

How about 2005 Ethiopian election? It was worse than zim election, 200 people killed by Government security force, when they are ordered to fire bullet to civilian protester by prime minister meles Zenawi, more than 20000 sent to behind bar, you know whay this happen? O! it's becouse of the ruling party lost peoples' vote, but after all the ruling party announce as they win the election as Mugabe did in Suterday, what do you respect from African leader who gather in Egypt? me, nothing new, most of them are dictaters and had did the same thing or willing to do the same thing, I fill shame of being African citizin becouse of our shamless leaders who prifer themselve than thier people, sham, sham on you the dictators!

[m wilson]

Berlusconi, indicted frauster who gave himself a get out of jail free card.
Don't forget Idi Amin and the mad emperor Bokassa (Giscard D'estaing's buddy.

[sarah]

GET MUGABE OUT OF POWER. CHINA HAS MORE MONEY IN AMERICA AND ALSO NOW WANT TO EXPLOIT THE CHEAP PRODUCTS THEY MAKE TO PEOPLE LIKE ZIMBABWE!!
DAMN MUGABE, DAMN CHINA!

[MATTY]

what about every election in the islamic republic of iran where any candidate the religious leaders don't like are disqualified for no reason at all...

[zimbabwean]

can you ask?
why has nelson mandela said nothing about zimbabwe?
peter hain?
stevie wonder?
all advocates of independance for zimbabwe in the 70s-80s and most importantly democracy

[René R. Poitras]

Trujillo is pretty hard to beat, as he ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. Was first elected with 95% of the vote. A judge who declared the results fraudulent was forced to flee. He renamed the capital Santo Domingo "Ciudad Trujillo, and the nation's highest peak "Pico Trujillo. Statues of him were mass produced. His wife, a semi-illiterate woman, was declared a writer and philosopher. Licence plates included the slogan "Viva Trujillo". Not too bad, huh?

[Andrew]

The simple truth is that we now live on a planet where the value placed on money/possessions, is greater than that placed on human life.

ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFULL.

THE HUMAN RACE IS NOW SO ROTTENLY SELFISH IT IS INCREDIBLE.

[René R. Poitras]

François "Papa Doc" Duvalier. Haïti. In 1957, with army backing, he was "overwhelmingly" elected president. Reelected in a sham election in 1961, he decided to get rid of elections and in 1964, named himself "President for life". How nice and practical. Indeed, he stayed president until his death in 1971. His régime was a brutal reign of terror and all political opponents were summarily executed. Ever heard of the "Tonton Macoutes"?. Ohhh you're missing something here! Check that out...

[Nancy Lazarus]

If Mugabe can lash out so crudely at journalists at the AU summit and if his body guards can shove away the poor journalist in front of cameras, imagine what Mugabe's team can do to poor defenceless people in the abscence of cameras. It is surprising that the AU and any thinking people can still give this monster any respect.

[René R. Poitras]

Ferdinand Marcos. The Philippines. Elected president 1965; re-elected in 1969; declared martial law in 1972; martial law lifted in 1981, and re-elected that same year in elections boycotted by the Opposition; in 1983, had Benigno Aquinno, his political rival, assassinated at Manila Airport; re-elected in rigged elections in February 1986; had to flee for his life when the U.S. stopped supporting him. Had a nice wife, Imelda, who LOVED to collect shoes! Nice.

[Maldain]

Not to be picky but US elections in both 2000 and 2004 were crooked but not in favor of the Republican Party. In fact the 2004 election had the Pennsylvania Philadelphia election rated as the single most corrupt election of that year. And oddly enough it was run by the Democratic Party. The problem is that in both 2000 and 2004 the Democratic Party were so sure they were going to win that they cried foul when they lost despite their attempts to cheat in the elections.

[Ben]

How about a sensible comment? Few elections are more corrupt than those of Equatorial Guinea. Results from the May 2008 elections: Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea and allies (party of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema): 99 seats. Convergence for Social Democracy (opposition): 1 seat. Turnout: 100%. But they've got oil and they're happy for us to have it as long as the president and his family get all the money, so nobody in the West cares about democracy there.

[René R. Poitras]

Alfredo Stroessner. President of Paraguay from 1954 until 1989, thanks to U.S. Support; always re-elected with no, or little political opposition. Fulgencio Batista. President of Cuba 1940-1944, 1952-1958; a brutal dictator; won elections almost unopposed; ruled through coercion, patronage, corruption, and Washington's tolerance; in 1958, had to flee for his life when Castro Rebel's entered Havana; fled during the night with suitcases full of cash. Pérez Jiménez, President of Venezuela; staged fraudulent election in 1952 and declared himself President; he brutally supressed political and civil liberties; leaders of the Opposition were tortured and murdered; President Eisenhower thanked him by awarding him a Legion of Merit medal, the nation's highest award for foreigh personnages. The U.S.; Always the U.S. The biggest democracy, huh?

[Alex]

Georgia's Mikael Saakasvili during the 2004 elections with a stunning 96%+ ? Or doesn't this count as he is 'one of ours'?

[Shawn]

Man... some people are still upset about the US 2k and 2k4 elections? Do some research into the liberal recount after G.W. won. They found that in Florida that "oh my" he really did get the majority of the votes. Now if G.W. had been killing people or tear gassing Florida to vote for him, that would be corrupt. Stop thinking the US is so messed up and get over yourselves. If you want to know what it's like to not have what we do, go to another country. And make it worse, go as a woman. I'm sure you'll be welcomed with open arms with supreme freedom.

[sam]

There is no proof that the 2000 election was rigged. You can keep repeating that it was rigged but it doesn't make it so. Comparing what happened in 2000 to the rest of the list is such a small minded arguement and shows a complete lack of understanding about what is going on in the world.

[(8?»]

I give up, what could the criteria for this possibly consist of?

Given that "corrupt election" is a redundant phrase, you really shouldn't have bothered.

Unless, that is, you're trying to legitimize other elections by their absence here?

What's next, discussion of the failure of Santa Claus to provide for you?

Amazing that supposed adults still believe in the dictatorial tool called an election, even when noting that Saddam managed to pull one off in his favor.

If he can do it, so can the rest. (Sorry if that doesn't fit into your belief system.)

[jaime]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

can we read about real life please... virtual top 10 corrupt elections are too subjective to warrant debate.

[Reggie Goldsmith]

Blah, blah, blah, Florida, blah, blah, blah. The Florida vote recount showed that Bush won. Get over it. Regarding fraud: Madison,Wisconsin; Philadelphia, PA; Southern New Mexico - all in swing states and all places with documented Democratic fraud.

[F M]

A response to TB on the Kenyan election. Your kind of thinking is what brought about the tension that resulted after the Dec 07 elections. Why not wait for the Kriegler Commission to complete their work and release a report then comment on that. Prejudiced speculating on the outcome of their investigation is silly. Furthermore you have betrayed your ignorance as the Kriegler Commission is only dealing with ways to improve the Kenyan electoral system. It is the Waki Commission that will be dealing with all aspect dealing with the post-election violence.

[creamcheese]

bush 2000...on to iran

[Rene]

All elections are inherently fraudulent. Unions, for one, are told how to vote. Mainstream media pick their favorite candidates and smear the opposition (e.g. swiftboating) In the US each winning candidate attends the Bilderberger secret meetings (Yes Obama and Hillary both). So an election is just a contest between power-elites that have already been corrupted to the nines. The real power is, and always has been with the people. When we boycott a business, it fails. This is true of technology, politics, taxation and a million other things. Don't like to pay taxes? Only accept cash. Don't like some business or technology? Vote with your paycheck. You get hundreds of votes per week that way. Not just a token vote every four years.

[Bill Peter]

I agree with Dr Chilton. Surely a non-election is even more corrupt than a fixed election. It's about the only time Gordon Brown will come near the top of a list.

[dick]

The theft in Kenya by Kibaki in December 2007 occupies the first place anytime.It was stupid and almost unbelievable. Just changing the final figure with your pen is all that was needed. It can not get worse than that.

[Chryseis]

Since no one was systematically beaten to death over either Bush or Brown's elections, I think it would be the height of idiocy to include either on this list. Where is your sense of proportion, people? The fact that you can come on here and moan constantly about your governments means that democracy is alive and well. Get over yourselves.

[tommo]

Post communist Russia is making this a bit of an art form, especially in the Caucuses. In one elction, the winner was returned with more than 100% of the vote. In Chechnya, 99% voted for Putin with a 98% turnout - an surprising result given he has spent much of the past 10 years bombing it close to destruction.

The comments on Florida are interesting. The recount showed Bush won, but the shenanigans that went before meant the US lost whatever moral legitimacy it had in much if the world. A shame, and perhaps unfair, but a fact nonetheless.

[C Bozner]

The US 2000 election may have been controversial and had irregularities but it was not rigged. Given the questions in Florida, they did a recount there with full approval of both parties. And then it was determined that Bush/Cheney had won Florida.

Controversial: yes. Stolen: no. Do not let the post-election problems of Iraq cloud your realising the simple truth: Bush won 2000 for better or worse.

And no, I did not vote for him then or in 2004. I simply prefer the truth over wishful thoughts.

[Andrew Towell]

What about Bush/Gore 2000 elections?
Election fraud in seven Florida counties? The US Suppreme court ruled for no recount!! Bush Wins!!

Ah yeah, OF COURSE IT CANT BE CORRUPT, it's a democracy isn't it!!

Any country using electronic voting machines is open to fraud, if someone wants to do it, they can, very easly!

You need everyone to personally do the vote them selves on paper and do a manual count with open public review while counting and tallying!

I am sorry but the 2007 elections in Nigeria do not deserve to be on this list.

Somehow the press jump on the Nigeria=corrupt bandwagon all the time without even doing their research.
come on, give us a break!

[ebbi britt]

george bush's election?
no mention of this one!!!!

[Paulo Bandeira]

Bush..., maybe? Oh, I'm sorry, that would never appear on the mainstream media. My mistake.

[M Joseph]

As an American, I am horrified by the abject stupidity of my fellow citizens claiming that a US election can even compare to these top 10 corrupt elections. Are they so myopic as to think that, in a world where people are killed if they don't vote a certain way, the US is all that bad a place? How sad it is that my country has become so lazy in thought that its citizens are ignorant of how truly lucky they are.

[WAWA]

You did not mention the freest and fairest election held in Nigeria on June 12 1993, in which the dreams and future of many Nigerian was robbed. In that election millions voted in what is so far the freest and fairest election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria. It was properly planned and conducted, with pre-election debates held which brought to light the intelligence and abilities of each candidate to move the nation forward. When the election results were being annouced and it was obvious who was winning - he had votes across all sections of the country - the election was annulled by the then military government.
Many resisted this annulment, there was fighting, riots, people died and some went into exile all in a bid to actualize the mandate popularly called JUNE 12.

[Andy]

(8?» talks about "the dictatorial tool called an election"
To believe that elections are in themselves invalid is to declare democracy invalid; a view that can only be consistent coming from a stunningly absolutist anarchist.

Or is it more consistent with the stunningly high level of drivel that this thread seems to have attracted?

[Anil Suri]

In 1927, the "winning" candidate in the Presidential election in Liberia, Africa, supposedly got sixteen times more votes than the total number of voters! I don't remember the names of the candidates, but I do recall that the Guinness Book of World Records mentions this as the "most bent election" of all time.

[Albert Finney]

bush must be at number 11 then i assume

[Baron Von Ripwinkle]

Ireland's got it, Poland's got it even the voters of France and Holland have got it when they were asked and the British have got it even though they were cheated out of the right to say so. Its just has to be the EU for the Number 1 spot for rigged and ignored election results.

[Tony]

All the horrible travesties that take place go unnoticed purely because people take a selfish, "me too" appraoch as evidenced here. "Yeah people were killed in those other countries, but Brown didn't hold a poll on what he should eat this morning and there's speed cameras. Police state!!"

[HVarma]

The title should not read 'The 10 most corrupt elections' but 'The 10 most corrupt elections that went against us'. Clearly, most readers want to include 2000 US elections. What about our dear friend Musharraf in Pakistan? What about the Palestinians displaced from villages in Israel who are not allowed to vote?

[Marina]

Dictators and pseudo democracies succeed depending on a number of criteria, can you agree on these ones?
1- Resources (oil to name but one)
2- Political strategic convenience to the developped world
3- Post colonial history
4- And last but no least...RACISM, not always white on non white, can also happen within tribal racism!

[Sam]

Hvarma, It's true that Palestinians displaced from Israel can't vote - because Israel is the only democracy for miles around

[Zak]

Well said Hvarma...these elections are the worst elections for the national interests of Britain and the States...not people of those countries...if so the Pakistani elections would appear..so would the Afghanistan and the Iraq elections where puppets of the States were installed by proxy...the people living in those countries must be asked of their opinion on the elections before a view is imposed on their behalf infront of the whole world.

[Omar]

Mexico 2006!!! The entire process was a mess...Mr. Calderón has no legitimacy at all...

[Colm Nugent]

I find it disgraceful that there is is no mention of the Dunney-in the Wold by-election caused by the death of Sir Hugh Buxomley whilst visiting the Prince Regent.
As was clearly documented, the constituency returning officer accidentally cut his head off when combing his hair and the only voter accidentally stabbed himself to death when shaving.
The returning officer (Mr E. Blackadder) registered 16,000 votes depite there being only one other voter (Mr E. Blackadder).
I was, and remain, suspicious that this election was not free and fair.

[Naf]

Dictator, sorry President Gayoum of Maldives??? Ruling for decades, without any opposition allowed to contest. - But ofcouse its the smallest of countries and so doesn't count as part of 'the world'-

And then 2000 U.S.A elections- oh ofcourse doesn't count as technically its a 'democracy' and a world power so it can't be placed in the ranks of those 'undemocratic' third world countries.

Statistics like these shape history - for the future generation.

[Ben]

I am shocked no one has adressed the patterns of bloc voting of Eastern European countries in the Eurovision contest of recent years. It is beyond scandalous.

[Demster]

I am glad that whilst the Times is suffering terribly from History Amnesia or would that simply be selective memory. Your readers have displayed unmeasurable intelligence and objectively called [you] to order.

Hey you could attempt to control the simple minded but show some goddam respect for us and don't insult our intelligence by publishing such selective garbage. The ten listed were bad - no doubt about it but on the same scale with some of the incredible scenarios we have overseen in the west, afterall we do claim to be the custodians of the democratic process.

[Gordon]

The 1979 Scottish Devolution referendum was fixed. The English desperate to hang on to Scotlands oil came up with the 40% rule. So despite the fact that 51.6% of the voters wanted devolution it was not allowed because less than 40% of the electorate voted. Now where else has that rule been applied ?
Facts and figs at

[viktor yevpak]

I think it is incorrect to put the "Orange Revolution" in the list of "unfair elections". The revolution was the RESULT and not the CAUSE of unfair presidential elections of 2003. So PLEASE change the name into something like "Ukrainian Presidential Elections of 2003" and not Orange Revolution.

Does this make sense?

[RENE]

Corrupt elections: african-countries, UK, USA, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, etc, etc, the question is which country is missing in the list?

[Frank.]

Re Nigeria,
How could you ignore the fate of Chief Abiola ?
Believed to have won the 1993 presidential election but then instantly imprisoned for treason.
Ironicaly cruel because he died of a heart attack in the prison on the day on his intended release.

[Ukrainian]

Another show, another madness crime... Journalists is prostitutes...

[Alex]

Daniel,

I am sure this was unintended, but No.4 is listed as 'Orange Revolution', i.e. the actual reaction to an earlier rigged election. Currently, the main Ukrainian media sources are stating that the Times have labeled the Revolution itself as a 'rigged election' (the revolution has resulted in a re-election with the rightful candidate getting voted in in the additional 3rd round)..quite a moronic blunder, thanks to your lack of clarity with the language

[A Anderson]

At least a few sane people have taken the time to respond about the lack of brutality in the US elections. Did Gore (sitting in office) have Bush beaten & dismembered? um, missed THAT headline...

As far as paper ballots being 'tamper-proof'; if you believe that I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, cheap too!

When did electronic/digital voting become the standard? 10 years ago? 20? 30? How did all those other fraudulent elections occur without the digital/electronic voting machines. Seriously folks, get a grip!

Oh, one more thing, the U.S. is a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC, not as some here seem to be brain-washed (er, bad choice of words), hypnotized by the MSM & GOV'T indoctrination centers (public schools) into believing the U.S. is a democracy....

[gino]

I heard the media reporting here was less biased then our own in the US but then I get right to this where there is no mention of Bush having clearly stolen the election not once but very possibly twice for secret agendas that still won't end. We "may" get a new president if he doesn't send us into WWIII before we get there. America's majority did NOT elect this dictator but somehow the world seems to know no better... even still? Sad!

[haralambos]

Warren and other Americans in denial - a recount found that Bush had actually won? A recount of the Zimbabwe elections found that Mugabe had actually won. What is the U.S.- most sophisticated country in the world - doing having recounts? "Count it until Bush wins"? No, nobody was reported tortured or murdered for voting Democrat but isn't that just a matter of degree? This is a rotten world and America is part of it - it's defensiveness and knee-jerk patriotism and a count-your-blessings mind-set that allows politician to manipulate us. The U.S. governemnt is as bent as the rest of them - it's left to individuals like you and to shout "no fair" from the top of mountains. (or bottom of websites)

[Andrew Towell]

"A Anderson"

What has the lack of "brutality" got to do with how corrupt an election is? Are you saying its fine to rig elections as long as no one's killing each other? So the Mugabe elections would be fine with if only he wasn't killing people?

The U.S asked the Supreme Court to take a look at the 2000 election result and they made a decision that it was not fraud, agree with that or not it is the way a democracy works, we have to live with there decision it!

No one's said paper ballots are "tamper-proof" but they are a lot more secured than electronic voting! How would you do it better, why would you suggest?

No one said it's impossible to rig an election unless its paper ballots, it's just so much easier to do so if it is an electronic machine, it’s well documented!

The USA by definition of the word is a Democracy and due to not having any monarch it’s also, by definition, a Republic!

When it comes down to it, in my eyes, the US elections should be top as they are the ones who state they are “spreading democracy” and “freedom”, which in essence means they are “policing the world”.
You won’t find ‘Mugabe’ trying to police the world and say who can and who can’t have certain weapons while as the same time, being the biggest arms dealer in the world!
Basically, if the US elections are rigged then it has repercussions on the rest of the world, unlike a lot of the other corrupt elections!

Your whole post just seem like it's full of "double think" or "double speak", two arguments in one sentence! If not intentional then you seem very confused my friend!

[Dan Greaves]

Top ten most corrupt elections? And to think people say that news is dumming down!

[agostina contigiani]

only one thing to say:

had Bush not won (fraud or no fraud) in 2000, we woulnd't be witnesses of one of the most useless wars in history: IRAQ.

and what angers me the most, is that people still voted for him in 2004.

so don't come crying now, when you ALL had a chance 4 or 8 years ago.

[native Floridian]

US Presidential (s)election 2000

Bush was not elected, the vote was not accurately recounted as the US Supreme Court stopped the process, then chose GW Bush as the 43rd US president.

[Pierre]

Gordon Brown's 'election' as leader of the Labour Party - where the heavies ensured no major figure stood against him and that not enough MPs backed the only other potential candidate.

[Ben]

As an American I look forward to the day Bush is out of office as much as the next guy, but to call the 2000 or 2004 election a fraud is simply disgraceful. The Supreme Court has the final ruling in elections always has, but usually they are not required to rule because the votes are clearly won by a large enough margin. Florida votes were recounted after the fact and the ultimate result was found to be correct. Bush's election is in no way near the top 100 most corrupt elections, let alone top 10. Get a view of whats going on in the world before making an unintelligent comment about your own little corner of it.

[FreshMeatz]

What about our own sham elections at home with the 49/51 flop on diebold software with Gore and Bush. Seems he is the little DICKtator himself also.

[kay]

The distructions and effects of corrupted elections varies from counteries to countries.Demacratic party's primaries, especially in the Caucuses votings, the Florida, Michigan, Superdalegates's rushed endorsments to Obama, the blacks used of racism to vote in their inexperienced brother{Obama} are all corruptions,give Bush a break.

[Joe]

What about th last 2 American elections.... Oh I forgot Rupert Murdoch is an American these days.

No wonder the USA slipped your mind when preparing this article.

Joe

[kay]

Bush SR and Clinton election was my first time watching the Americans voting, i cried to see people voting with no fear. In Africa, the voters have fears, no freedom, are forced, Killed, beaten, kidnaped, raped,wounded etc. If Africans have the choice to choose, a peaceful corrruption with no violence will be their choice.

[Mike]

Forgot Belarus, 2001, 2006 presidential ellections. 1995, 1996 referendums, 1996 - parlament elections.

[James]

The number one should be any election involving an electoral collage. Dose anybody have a clue
what this really is??? Contrary to popular belief the people who represent you when we vote in the US do not have to follow the voters choice, but can vote however they see fit. For those of you who do not belive this, or wish to disagree with me on this point, please explain to me Mr Bushes election win in 2000 in which his opponents hade more US citizens vote for him than for Mr Bush yet he still wins in the electoral collage. Also in this list of travisties is the 48 states that have adopted the policy of winner take all votes. Can anyone explain to me how this is a true representation of how a states people voted??? I do not care for how Mr Bush has run this country into the dirt, but I do not think that he stoled or rigged the election, he simply used an already corruped system better than his opponents (don't beat the dog blame the owner). Also I would like to address the people who think that physical violence is the only criteria for a bad election. Take this into consideration, economic fallout from an improperly run goverment can be just as bad (how is your stock portfolio doing???)

[Chris Shields]

Bush beat Gore--in real time, in the recounts, in the theoretical recounts done by the media afterwards and in the courts--get over it.

[Tim]

Marcos and the Phillipines should be there.

[George]

I think you have to go a long way to beat the crowning of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister. No election and No opposition because all of his rivals were to scared to stand against him.

[Sharon]

I can't believe that people are comparing the 2000/04 vote in the USA to the top 10 listed. Tell me you idiots have any of you had your houses burned down,people you know or love killed, women raped or men,women and children beaten because you voted for the wrong party or because you did not have pink dye on your finger. GROW UP AND SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE REAL WORLD. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT CORRUPT MEANS.

[Sam]

Why dont we sought our own problems at home before moaning and condemming other countries. The Price of fuel, the mortgage rates and food in the uk is at its highest in a decade. Yes my father lives in Zimbabwe, but he is struggling by, they expect the worst.

Lets sought the uk out first, and get the homelands proud again.

[Steve]

How about any of the countless other 'elections' in Africa where power has remained in one party's hands for decades.

Uganda recently had an election where the opposition candidate was imprisoned and charged with treason and rape, for example.

Tanzania now has a new President but he is from the same party as the previous President.

[redtom]

anything that the e.u./u.k. govt's has any involvement in (but not the people)

[Andy]

Gordon Brown became PM because, under the UK's parliamentary system, the leader of the largest party is automatically the PM. He is leader of the Labour party because no-one else was willing to oppose him in a leadership contest. No-one was willing to oppose him because they knew that Brown would have won massively.

So how does this compare with having your wife and children tortured and murdered by a mob controlled by the government? Or with blatant ballot stuffing? Or perhaps the media which is currently giving Brown such a pasting is in reality secretly controlled by him?

I think that a lot of posters in this thread need to go and live for a while in a real opressive, corrupt, totalitarian country. After all they really seem to think it's not so bad compared to having a PM they don't like much.

Hopefully they might learn to appreciate the freedom to whinge and display the ignorance of reality that they enjoy under Brown's allegedly corrupt regime.

As for the posters who complain that the democracies of the west are under-represented in this list, perhaps that's because the simple fact is that, while western democracy may be far from perfect, you cannot claim that it's more corrupt than the rest without a reality distortion of truly massive proportions.

[David Ashton]

Very few elections have seen as much violence meted out to voters as the recent Zimbabwe ones. So UK and US guys, don't protest too much, you may have had fraud but you didn't get the prime minister / president's goons beating you up and telling you how to vote, you didn't get numbered traceable papers so they can beat you up again if you voted "wrong". Mugabe may not be top of the list for election misconduct but he's up there with the best. Just because he is not THE worst does not make him acceptable.

[A Anderson]

for those who choose to take more than a one-line definition from dictionary.com the differences between DEMOCRACY & REPUBLIC are the quite clear....

excerpt from Federalist Paper #10:
"...Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions. A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking...."

"...The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended...."

[Julius Irving]

The lazy comments about the Kenyan election show just how influential the media has become. There is a lot of scholarly evidence now, that the assumptions the Western Media made about the elections were unfounded. Firstly, Kenya has not a homogenous electorate like the UK or Sweden. You win close to 100% of the vote in some parts, and 0% in others. Projection based on early figures is impossible. Secondly, and although Danny Boy refuses to acknowledge this, the last Gallup poll did show Kibaki ahead of Odinga, even though this, like all other polls in December was all within the margin or error. I wonder why we accept that opinion polls can be wrong in the US and the UK, where they are actually scientific and have a decent structural basis, but not in Kenya where few people have a fixed address, and where census figures are both old and questionable and where regional preferences are so extreme it all hinges on turnout there. Please would all the ignoramuses read the Journal of East African Studies. All done by nice white people like us, so probably accurate. Kibaki did in all likelihood, win what was always going to be a closely fought election. To put it at the top of the list, even for Kenyan elections, is plain silly.

[Starbuck]

Dimwits still claiming irregularities in US 2000 and 2004? Can you say "sore loser"?

All votes were tallied by bipartisan witnesses. In all closely contested districts and districts with irregularities the Supervisor of Elections happened to be Democrat. Claims of "disenfranchisement" were thoroughly investigated and found to be false. The Governor of Florida (brother or not) has no involvement in the election process; Florida elections are entirely locally controlled. All 21 recounts established that Bush won by a narrow margin. If the US Supreme Court had not ruled as it did, the Florida electors would have been selected by the GOP house, then, if challenged, the election decided nationally by the GOP congress, and Bush would still have won with any turn it could take.

Stop your lying about it, alright?

[Knife]

Hey Daniel,

No offense but I suggest that you be EXTREMELY careful about the so-called Orange Revolution. FYI, Ukraine is now divided into two parts - those who believe this thing was good, and those who think it was evil.

Let me give you a few facts. You say that one of the candidates was poisoned. Well, maybe he was. We will never know as he didn't go to any reputable hospital - he was diagnosed in a cardiological unit. But a more interesting question is (and it's still unanswered), WHO poisoned him? The involvement of this candidate's rival is not as apparent as you might think.

Now, in your UPDATE you mention that the Revolution was just a response to corrupt action, it wasn't corrupt itself. But wasn't it? It's a well-known fact that Yushchenko's supporters were paid hefty bucks for their help. And I can safely say that, without that cash, the situation would have been very much different.

Please think about that when you describe the Orange Happening next time. Thanks for your attention.

[Ivan Petrov]

How about recent ones in Russia? By the degree of cynicity and corruption beat anything on this list but Saddam, does not even gets mentioned. "Friend Volodya" still?

[davidc]

in all our righteous indignation at the voting corruption displayed by those beyond the pale (outside the uk) let us not forget that,in addition to the referendum that never was, the way that postal voting was (and possibly still is) run in this country has been described as'something that would disgrace a banana republic'.

[Jane]

The current UK incumbent has just signed away England to the EU so it can be carved up into extinction. Brown has sent millions of the taxpayers money out of the country for his pet projects, so when England is carved he has ensured it will be bankrupt and unable to protect itself.

Remember this is the most taxed and spied on country in the world.

Not all corrupt powers are physically brutal but it also does not make it any the less corrupt.

[Andy]

Knife, there's not much doubt which of those "two parts" you're in.

I like the way you say "let me give you a few facts". As I read it, these are the only statements of facts in your post:
1. Yushchenko was diagnosed in a Cardiology unit
2. Yushchenko's supporters were paid "hefty bucks"

These 2 certainly are statements that can be falsified or verified, as the case may be.
But statements like "The involvement of this candidate's rival is not as apparent as you might think" are merely expressions of your opinion, without any reasoning or evidence to support them.
You're entitled to your opinions, of course, and I am definitely not claiming that there is NO evidence to support them, but please don't go claiming to offer facts and then spout nothing but dodgy insinuations instead.

[Gerda]

Without your update about Ukraine I would actually believe in your objectivity. Because the election results after the Orange revolution were really corrupt. David Zhvania, member of parliament and witness on the criminal case brought on the fact of poisoning Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko, has claimed in an interview with BBC that presidential candidate Yushchenko was not poisoned in 2004, and the results of expertises on the case were falsified. Actually it was clear for a half of Ukraine a long time ago. Of course the lie has affected the new result, that's why Yushchenko got a bit more votes on the 3th illegal round. Now Yushchenko's rating is less than 10%.

[Knife]

That's right, Andy, you're reading it exactly right. The guy was really examined in a hospital which is not intended for that kind of service. MOREOVER, the official statement about poisoning was issued BEFORE the diagnosis. Which to me questions the very fact of poisoning (or at least the suggested culprit).

2. It is a well-known fact that part of Yushchenko's elections strategy was to pay a small reward to the multiple propagandists who would then "advertise" his program to the mass, and "advise" them which candidate to vote for, and why. And that puts at a question the intent of the mob at the Independence Square.

That's exactly what I was saying. And, in light of these, I believe the #4 description should omit the poisoning, and it should word the UPDATE in a different way. Don't you think so?

[Knife]

No updates, after almost a week? Gee, I always knew you can't trust those corrupt Western journalists :)