A Critical Investigation on the Impact of Electronic Voting Machines on Electoral Fraud During the 2023 General Elections.

ABSTRACT
The adoption of electronic voting machines (EVMs) has been a subject of intense debate globally. Proponents argue that EVMs can improve electoral integrity and efficiency, while skeptics raise concerns about their susceptibility to manipulation and fraud. The 2023 General election in Nigeria saw the implementation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which resulted in a significant change in the country's electoral system. This innovation ushered in a more sophisticated approach to conducting elections, replacing the long-standing manual voting process. This study critically investigated the impact of electronic voting machines on electoral fraud during the 2023 general elections. Two specific objectives were formulated for the study; they are to determine the extent of adoption and use of electronic voting machines in the 2023 general election and to identify the factor which affected the effective use of voting machines in minimizing electoral fraud during the 2023 general election. The Electoral Integrity Theory was adopted for the study. The study also adopted a descriptive research design. Secondary data was 4sed for the study. The researcher used qualitative method to analysis the collected data. The findings present a mixed outlook on the adoption of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), highlighting both their successes and challenges. While EVMs have proven effective in reducing certain forms of electoral fraud, such as ballot stuffing and multiple voting, they remain susceptible to hacking, tampering, and technical glitches, raising concerns about their security and reliability. Additionally, socio-political factors, such as insufficient voter education, institutional capacity limitations, and political interference, pose significant obstacles to the successful implementation of EVMs. The findings of this study are expected to offer guidance for future policy decisions on the utilization of electronic voting technology in Nigerian elections, with potential consequences for the credibility of the election process and democratic governance in the area.