The article explores the concept of “treating” in elections, where candidates provide voters with food, drinks, and entertainment to influence their votes. Using a fictional country, Not-Ah-Real-Place, it illustrates how a candidate might exploit legal loopholes to offer lavish gifts and events, hoping to secure electoral victory without facing legal consequences. While treating is illegal and considered a form of corruption, enforcement is often weak, and proving a direct link between gifts and votes is challenging.

Historical examples highlight the legal risks of treating, such as an 1886 case in Youghal where an election was overturned, and a 2015 UK incident involving sausage rolls that did not lead to prosecution. The article concludes that despite the illegality, candidates may still risk treating voters, especially when law enforcement, courts, and media oversight are compromised or limited, allowing such practices to persist with minimal accountability.