vote trading

Vote trading is the practice of exchanging votes—agreeing to vote a certain way in return for someone else's reciprocal vote on a different matter.

In legislatures, it's often called logrolling: I'll vote for your bridge if you vote for my tax break.

Among ordinary voters, it sometimes appears as cross-partisan arrangements: She traded her vote with someone in a swing state.

The practice raises ethical questions about whether votes should be treated as commodities.