Financial gifts have been an important, albeit not the only, factor in gathering voter support during regional elections in Indonesia. This article seeks to explore the 'dawn attacks' (serangan fajar) of vote buying in Bolaang Mongondow Regency, a practice that is socially required to gain votes during regional elections. Furthermore, this article explores how vote buying through personal finances and bureaucratic mobilisation has become a dominant factor in regional elections, far more important than institutional resources and conservative political instruments such as political parties. Despite Bolaang Mongondow being a region expected to offer little political and economic potential for vote buying at a massive scale—this regency is far from the national political mainstream, and most residents live quite prosperous and could fulfil their basic needs—these 'dawn attacks' have continued on a massive scale during regional elections. Furthermore, this article explains the context, background, and rationale underlying the practice of vote buying as well as the main actors involved. This article also offers an empirical comparative and theoretical perspective regarding vote buying.

Aspinall, E., & Sukmajati, M. (Eds.) (2015). Politik uang di Indonesia; Patronase dan klientelisme pada Pemilu Legislatif 2014. Yogyakarta: PolGov.

Aspinall, E., & Sukmajati, M. (Eds.) (2016). Electoral dynamics in Indonesia; money politics, patronage and clientelism at the grassroots. Singapore: NUS Press.

Aspinall, E., Rohman, N., Hamdi, A., Rubaidi, & Triantini, Z. (2017). Vote buying in Indonesia: Candidate, strategies, market logic and effectiveness. Journal of East Asian Studies, 17(1), 1–27. doi:10.1017/jea.2016.31

Bendahara PAN diperiksa Soal Proyek Rp. 1 Triliun. (2012, November 20). Media Indonesia. Retrieved from http://kpk.go.id

Björkman, L. (2013). You Can’t Buy a Vote: Cash and community in a Mumbai election. MMG Working Paper, 13 (01). Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Gottingen.

Brusco, V., Nazareno, M., & Stokes, S.C. (2004). Vote buying in Argentina. Latin American Research Review, 39 (2), 66–88.

Cruz, C., Keefer, P,. & Labonne, J. (2016). Incumbent advantage, voter information, and vote buying. IDB Working Paper Series No. IDB–WP-711. Inter-American Development Bank; Institution for Development Sector.

Dahar, J. (2017, February 10). Randis 800 juta untuk Bupati baru. Manado Post, p.21.

Deslatama, Y. (2017, February 9). Bawaslu hentikan pengusutan politik uang di pilkada Banten. Liputan 6.com. Retrieved from http://m.liputan6.com

Dewi, S.W., Harjanto, S.L., & Purba, O.D. (2016). Central and South Jakarta: Social welfare and constituency service in metropolis. In Aspinall, E., & Sukmajati, M. (Eds.). Electoral Dynamics in Indonesia: Money Politics, Patronage and Clientelism at the Grassroots. (pp. 167–183). Singapore: NUS Press.

Diaz-Cayeros, A., Estévez, F., & Magaloni, B. (2016). The political logic of poverty relief: Electoral strategies and social policy in Mexico - Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Eyang sebut Ismail dahapo money politik pilkada Boltim (2015, December 22), Totabuannews Retrieved from https://totabuannews.com/2015

Gubernur diminta hentikan kegiatan PT Conch. (2016, August 26). Media Sulut. Retrieved from http://mediasulut.co

Hamja, B. (2017, February 14). Per Suara dibandrol Rp. 200–500 ribu. Radar Bolmong, pp.1 & 15.

Hicken, A.D. (2007). How do rules and institutions encourage vote buying?. In Schaffer, F. (Ed.). Elections for Sale: The Causes, Consequences, and Reform of Vote Buying. (pp. 47-60). Boulder: Lynne Reiner.

Hicken, A., Leider, S., Ravanilla, N., & Yang, D. (2016). Temptation in vote-selling: Evidence from a field experiment in the Philippines. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Hoepers, B. (2012). The determinants of vote buying in Brazil: Taking contextual factors into account. Unpublished Document. Fuente: University of Pittsburgh.

Ini aset Salihi disita PN Kotamobagu. (2017, February 1). Totabua News. Retrieved from https://totabuanews.com

KPK periksa Yasti Soeprejo Mokoagow. (2012, November 19). Berita Kawanua. Retrieved from http://beritakawanua.com

Laluhu, S. (2016, March 24) KPK incar 9 anggota komisi V DPR di kasus suap PUPR. Sindo News. Retrieved from https://nasional.sindonews.com

Menyoal rekening gendut Yasti (2017, February 1,). Koran Bolmong, pp.1 & 11.

Norma akan ambil pemberian calon (2017, February 11). Tribun Manado, p.13.

Pansel Sekkab definitif dibentuk (2017, February 7), Manado Post, p.21.

Penyitaan aset milik Salihi oleh PN Kotamobagu dihalangi warga. (2017, February 2). Metro, p.10.

Pilkada Bolaang Mongondow PAN ada didua kubu (2017, January 23), Radar Manado, p.6.

Politik uang tanah jawara. (2017, February 19). Majalah Tempo, pp.48-50.

Pontororing, M. (2017, June 20). Kasus pengrusakan TP Conch Polda periksa Bupati Bolmong. Metro TV News. Retrieved from http://news.metrotvnews.com

Rojo, G., Jha, S., & Wibbels, E. (2016). Political networks, clientelism, and public goods: Evidence from Slums in Udaipur, India. Working Paper.

Salihi pilih kembali melaut. (2017, February 24). Tribun Manado, pp. 1 & 7.

Sehan beri selamat kepada Yasti-Yanni (2017, February 16). Tribun Manado, p. 13.

Serra, G. (2016). Vote buying with illegal resources: Manifestation of a weak rule of law in Mexico. Journal of Politics in Latin America, 8 (1), 129–150.

Sumampouw, N.S.A. (2016a). North Sulawesi: Clan, church and the state. In Aspinall, E., & Sukmajati, M. (Eds.). Electoral Dynamics in Indonesia: Money Politics, Patronage, and Clientelism at the Grassroots. Singapore: NUS Press. pp. 321–340.

Sumampouw, N.S.A. (2016b). Visi, misi, pici, gizi, ruci: Cultural roots within vote buying practices in the 2014l election (Case of North Sulawesi, Indonesia). Paper presented at the International Conference "From Clients to Citizen? Citizenship in Democratising Indonesia". Yogyakarta, 8–10 December 2016.

Wolajan, F. (2017, February 8) 20 Pejabat Bolmong layak perebutkan kursi Sekda. Tribun News. Retrieved from http://manado.tribunnews.com

Wolajan, F. (2017, February 9) Pemkab Bolmong siapkan dana Rp. 1,5 Miliar untuk beli mobil baru. Tribun News. Retrieved from http://manado.tribunnews.com

Yasti dalam pusaran korupsi. (2017, January 12). Koran Bolmong, pp. 1 & 11.

Yasti masuk incaran KPK. (2016, December 22). Koran Bolmong, pp. 1 & 11.