2003 Tierradorian voter suppression scandal

The 2003 Tierradorian general election voter suppression scandal is a political scandal stemming from events that took place during the 2003 Tierradorian general election, which saw PP candidate Victoría Hombêri defeat incumbent PST candidate Aphía Mōnderíq in one of the most controversial elections in Tierradorian history. It involved numerous robocalls and real-person calls that originated from the Partéq Pepal’s campaign office, vote buying from the PP and the TCU, and the rejection of absentee ballots in 6 regions. These were all mostly designed to result in voter suppression, except for the absentee ballots scandal, which was mainly done to comply with the laws implemented in said 6 regions. Investigations from the Civil Guard and Elections Terranóq were made to respond to claims that the PP was using robocalls and real-person calls to falsely inform voters that the location of their area’s polling stations have been changed.

Calls began in Tabía, La Plazal on April 5, 2003, 1 week before Election Day. The La Plazal State Patrol (LPSP) discovered an automated calling machine in the Santa Cruz PP headquarters which they believed to be the source of said robocalls. By April 8, 2003, Elections Terranóq had received complaints detailing irregular calls from the PP in 316 of the 380 electoral districts in Tierrador, recorded in all 20 regions. The scandal received widespread attention throughout Crona, and resulted in various arrests, lawsuits, and condemnations from other South and Central Cronan nations, along with widespread rioting in La Plazal stemming from Hombêri’s victory. Former President Pedro Gomez called the handling by Elections Terranóq and the Civil Guard “fucking disgraceful” and “a slap in the face to Tierradorian dignity.”