Determinants of Vote Buying in Local Head Election in Indonesia

Abstract

The local head election in Indonesia suffers from vote buying. However, there is a lack of study compared to vote-buying case in Indonesia, especially quantitative study. Therefore, this study aims to fill the gap. The purpose is to estimate the effect of individual and community characteristics on the probability of voter to consider money or gifts in a local head election. This study uses the data from Indonesia Family Life Survey 5 (IFLS5) conducted in 2014/2015 for 29,788 respondents. As the response is a binary data, the Linear Probability Model (LPM) and logit model is utilized. The result shows that both individual and community characteristics affect vote buying in Indonesia. Voters with tertiary education are far less likely to consider money or gift by 29.1% than others. By using logit test, the coefficient is corrected. Voters with a university degree tend to not engage in vote buying by 0.27 times than the others. This study finds other interesting findings that gender matter in vote buying in Indonesia. Female voters tend to consider money or gift more than male by 2.44%. Voters who live in rural areas have a higher probability to consider vote buying by 4.55%. Living in the internet-connected community may reduce the probability of vote buying. The coefficient indicates that those with internet access have less probability to consider money or gift in an election by 1.35%. Living in a community with high social awareness makes voters less vulnerable to vote-buying. The coefficient indicates that they have less possibility to consider money by 2.44% than those living in communities with less social awareness. Thus, the strategy to eliminate vote buying should be adjusted to the character of voters in a certain community.

Abstentions Phenomenon (Golput) Direct Local Election

“…Buying voters is one thing that causes people to be apathetic to the electoral system, which ultimately impacts abstentions (Golput). This pattern causes the electoral system to run less effectively, which has an effect on the lives of the surrounding community so that this pattern of abstention spreads to the surrounding community (Putra, 2017).…”

Vote Buying dan Perilaku Pemilih Pemula: Kasus Pemilihan Gubernur Bali 2018 di Tabanan

“…Pada tingkatan individu, perilaku memilih dipengaruhi oleh tingkat pendidikan, status sosial, agama dan gender sedangkan pada tingkatan komunitas dipengaruhi oleh kondisi politik, kondisi ekonomi dalam hal ini ketimpangan pendapatan, dominasi suku dan fasilitas publik. Perilaku memilih juga dipengaruhi oleh demografi, partisan, pengalaman memilih dan faktor geospasial (Putra, 2017). Vote buying juga merupakan tindakan yang dilakukan oleh kandidat maupun partai politik, memberikan uang dan barang kepada pemilih dengan tujuan memeroleh dukungan berupa suara dari pemilih.…”

“…Pada sisi pemilih, kegiatan ini terjadi karena permintaan dari pemilih atas diberikannya suara si pemilih kepada kandidat tertentu dan ini dianggap sebagai ungkapan terima kasih. Sementara itu, pada sisi kandidat, vote buying terjadi karena adanya kekhawatiran kandidat akan kehilangan suara pada pemilu (Putra, 2017). Vote buying terjadi secara langsung maupun tidak langsung.…”

The Culture of Transactional Politics in Indonesia's Gubernatorial Elections Since Reformation

“…As a result, direct elections have been used solely to advance the interests of the ruling elite and to maintain their access to state resources. Many studies (Putra, 2017;Qadir, 2014) have limited their discussion to the specific practices during direct local elections that violate democratic principles and electoral guidelines. This study, conversely, will explore transactional practices during the candidacy process: the foundation upon which all electoral processes are established.…”