Comparative Study of Money Politics in Batu City and Sampang Regency in Village Head Elections

The practice of money politics at the village level has become a common phenomenon indicating a serious problem in village democratization. This study aims to conduct a comparative study of the practice of money politics that occurred in implementing village head elections in “S’ Village, Batu City, and “P” Village, Sampang Regency, East Java. Comparative studies are important because these regions have different economic, social, and community characteristics. A qualitative descriptive research method is used in this article to clarify the process of answering research questions. The data were analyzed through collection, compaction, presentation, and conclusion. The study results show that money politics in each village in the two districts is almost identical. However, in practice, the control over voters in money politics during the Village Head Elections (Pilkades) shows very strict control in the Sampang district. It is even stronger than in Batu City.