Law, Technology, and Electoral Transparency: A Comparative Study of Nigeria and the United States

Abstract

The study explores how the use of technology has an impact on improving the level of transparency in elections through a comparative legal analysis of Nigeria and the United States. The frequent occurrence of election fraud, such as false reporting of votes, bribery, and underage voters in Nigeria's elections is having an adverse effect on confidence in the political system and reducing voter turnout. A large proportion of 256 respondents surveyed for this study found current election technologies to be ineffective at 53.5%, and when compared to what is used in developed democracies, they were deemed highly inadequate at 77%. By using both a Doctrinal approach and Comparative Legal Methodology, along with Primary Survey Data, the researchers have concluded that technological improvements will only strengthen pre-existing inequities among voters if there is no accompanying robust legal framework. Thus, the two aspects of electoral credibility are linked together legally and technologically. There was a significant association between respondents' levels of satisfaction with the legal and technological aspects of elections (χ²(1)=32.997, p<.001,φ=.359). Furthermore, electronic result transmission was identified as the number one reform priority to address before the 2027 General Elections.