Stephen L. Carter, Columnist

Yes, Vote-Buying Is Illegal. But Why?

Americans’ reflexive distaste for the practice stems from their almost mystical faith in the ballot box.

December 4, 2021 at 1:00 PM UTC

Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, a professor of law at Yale University and author of “Invisible: The Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster.”

Would it be OK to pay them?
Photographer: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP

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I’ve never been a fan of litigating election results in court, and the lawsuit filed last month by the loser of the Democratic primary for a Florida seat in the U.S. House of Representatives seems as frivolous as they come. Yet one of its several charges deserves more thought. Not because it’s true — it’s ridiculous on its face — but because it speaks to the nature of democracy.

The allegation from the loser, Dale Holness, is that the winner, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, essentially purchased votes by promising legislation that would pay those of moderate income $1,000 per month. His lawsuit calls it “a gimmick designed only to motivate people to vote for her.”