Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to examine the implications of vote selling on Ghana‟s
democracy. The qualitative approach and case study design were adopted for the study.
The convenience sampling technique was used to select ten participants for the study. Data
was analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis show, voters sell their votes because of
unfulfilled campaign promises, readiness of politicians to spend on campaigns and the
willingness of voters to use the elections as means of getting their share of national cake.
Vote selling transactions start with convincing voters, followed by the process of
channeling incentive, conveying voters to voting station and ends with proof of voting.
Also, the findings show, inability to select competent leaders, corruption, tyranny, inability
to initiate good policies and the inability to hold politicians accountable are the implications
of vote selling on Ghana‟s democracy. The study concludes that, vote buying and selling
are a contract where both politicians and voters, that is sellers and buyers profit while
ignoring the aftermath consequences of such an action. The study also concludes that, vote
selling has detrimental consequences for Ghana's democracy. The study recommends that,
NGOs, electoral commissions, civil societies, and non-state actors should spearhead and
strengthen democracy by mounting vigorous campaigns to educate the electorates not to
accept financial or material benefit before they vote for a particular candidate. The study
also recommends that, the consequences of vote selling and buying should be included in
high school curricula to alert and conscientize Ghanaians about the threats.
Description:
A dissertation in the Department of Social Studies
Education, Faculty of Social Sciences Education,
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial
fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Education
(Social Studies Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba