Anti-Vote-Buying Campaigns in a Case Study of Local Elections in Chaiyaphum Province Fulfill the Cycle of an Election by Promoting Voters’ Participation

Abstract

Elections are important mechanisms for peaceful democratic political transition. However, in the past the role of the voter is often absent from the electoral cycle. Despite this, the people are the owners of sovereignty, hence they should take an election as the opportunity to negotiate and make some political changes in order to improve their quality of life. Even though clean elections have been legislated in Thailand's many constitutions, the role of the people in the electoral process has not been fully promoted. This article was developed from the anti-vote-buying campaign for the November 2021 local election in three districts of Chaiyaphum Province. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibility of filling gaps and promoting voters’ participation, which is often missing in election season, through the process of public dialogue between candidates and voters. The expectation of this campaign is to promote political awareness and political participation of voters to make political change through elections, and to encourage the perception of a clean and creative electoral process. Finally, the community was able to maintain reconciliation even after the election.