Treating



In law and politics, treating is the act of serving food, drink, and other refreshments to influence people for political gain, often shortly before an election. In various countries, treating is considered a form of corruption, and is illegal as such. However, as long as the supplying of refreshments is not part of a quid pro quo for votes, etc., it is often not illegal.

Canada
There was an offence of treating under section 94 of the Dominion Elections Act 1874.

New Zealand
In New Zealand, section 217 of the Electoral Act 1993 relates to treating and defines the offence as a corrupt practice. Following the 2023 New Zealand general election, the Electoral Commission investigated the provision of food at Manurewa Marae while it was used as a polling station.

British Isles

 * Callum Smith. "The Origins of Sleaze: Visual Culture & Electoral Treating during the 1784 Westminster Election". ECPPEC Conference at Newcastle University, 2022.
 * Morgan, "An Eighteenth-Century Election in England" (1922) 37 Political Science Quarterly 585 at 596 and 597
 * "Electoral Corruption in the Long Eighteenth Century"
 * Dickinson. The Politics of the People in Eighteenth-century Britain. p 29.
 * O'Leary. The Elimination of Corrupt Practices in British Elections, 1868–1911. 1962.

Canada

 * Ermatinger. "Treating". Canadian Franchise and Election Laws. 1886. Pages 258 to 269.
 * McPherson. "Treating Voter during Election". The Law of Elections in Canada. 1905. Page 432.
 * Boyer. Election Law in Canada. Butterworths. 1987. vol 2. pp 719, 953, 965, 970, 990, 1050, 1059, 1067, 1074, 1075, 1085, 1087, 1110, 1123, 1128, 1135 and 1157.

Sri Lanka

 * Costa. "Treating". Law of Parliamentary Elections. 1985. Pages 41 and 75. Revised version of University of Colombo thesis.