Electoral fraud is the illegal interference with an election process, aimed at inflating a favored candidate's votes or suppressing rivals, often working hand-in-hand with voter suppression to subvert democracy. Its definition varies by country, and it can even include technically legal but morally unacceptable practices like sham elections with only one candidate—where even a small amount of fraud can flip a close result or erode public trust in democratic institutions. Penalties differ sharply worldwide, with the U.S. prosecuting state crimes (such as ballot stuffing and double voting) alongside federal offenses (like bribery and voter intimidation), while France imposes fines and up to two years' imprisonment for public officials. A key tactic involves manipulating the electorate itself, such as artificially moving voters into districts or abusing public housing and immigration laws, exemplified by the 1986–1990 "Homes for votes" scandal in Westminster, England, led by Shirley Porter. Internationally, countries like Malaysia have used citizenship grants to shift demographics, demonstrating that such manipulation on a large scale can effectively function as a coup or the corruption of democracy.