Abstract:
ABSTRACT
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTION LAW ENFORCEMENT IN
PROSECUTING POLITICAL MONEY CRIMES
IN CIAMIS REGENCY IN 2024
Elections are an unavoidable activity in a country that adheres to a democratic
system. There is no democratic country that does not hold elections for public office
involving citizens who are entitled to vote. Good and quality elections must be
supported by the performance of quality organizers, in order to increase the degree
of healthy competition, participation and stronger and accountable representation as
intended in the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. The proper
implementation of Law Number 7 of 2017 on General Elections in the implementation
of elections will have implications for the quality of election administration. Effective
implementation and enforcement of the law will provide legal certainty, benefits and
legal justice for all parties involved in the 2024 democratic contest. The law will
function to protect the interests of those participating in the contest. Therefore, to
protect interests, the law must be implemented and enforced.
This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach. This approach was
chosen because it aims to deeply understand the processes, factors, and contexts that
influence the effectiveness of election law enforcement in addressing the crime of vote
buying.
This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of election law enforcement in
addressing the crime of vote-buying during the 2024 Ciamis Election. Money politics
is seen as a serious threat to democratic integrity because it undermines the principles
of justice and equality in political contestation. This research uses a qualitative
approach through literature review and case studies in several regions.
The research findings indicate that although the legal framework explicitly
prohibits vote buying, enforcement remains ineffective due to weak evidence, minimal
public reporting, and a lack of synergy between the Elections Supervisory Agency
(Bawaslu), the Law Enforcement Agency (Gakkumdu), and other law enforcement
agencies. Institutional reform and strengthening of public legal awareness are needed
so that election law becomes not merely a formal norm but also an effective deterrent
against vote buying.
Keywords: vote buying, law enforcement, electoral crime, legal effectivenes
