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EMPTY BOX AS SYMBOLIC ACTION: YOUNG VOTERS’ REJECTION OF THE SOLE CANDIDATE IN GRESIK’S LOCAL

Politik Indonesia: Indonesian Political Science Review · Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025) · hlm. 100–112

DOI
10.15294/jpi.v10i2.26062
ISSN
2503-4456, 2477-8060
Terbit
2025-08-12
Penerbit
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Bahasa
eng

Abstrak

This study explores the symbolic meaning behind the choice of the "empty box" (kotak kosong) among young voters in the 2024 regional election (Pilkada) in Gresik, where only one candidate was on the ballot. Rather than seeing this choice as political apathy, this research interprets it as a conscious act of resistance and a demand for genuine political representation. Using a qualitative descriptive approach and symbolic interactionism theory, the study examines how young voters construct political meaning through their decision to vote for the empty box. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with informants aged 17–25 who reside in Gresik and intentionally voted for the empty box. The findings reveal that their decisions were shaped by critical reflection, peer discourse, and disillusionment with the lack of electoral competition. The act of selecting the empty box is understood as a symbolic expression of frustration, political identity, and expectations for democratic renewal. This study contributes by offering an empirical explanation of how symbolic political choices function as a form of youth resistance, a dimension rarely discussed in previous research on uncontested elections in Indonesia. It also provides a nuanced interpretation of the empty-box vote as a meaning-making process rather than a mere protest action.

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Sumber metadata: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jpi/oai, pertama di-harvest 6 Nov 2026, terakhir terlihat 8 Nov 2026.
Metadata asli (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">EMPTY BOX AS SYMBOLIC ACTION: YOUNG VOTERS’ REJECTION OF THE SOLE CANDIDATE IN GRESIK’S LOCAL</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Erfina Dwi</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Agus Machfud Fauzi</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Rizky Trisna Putri</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Empty box</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Local election</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Political expression</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Symbolic interactionism</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Youth voters</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">This study explores the symbolic meaning behind the choice of the "empty box" (kotak kosong) among young voters in the 2024 regional election (Pilkada) in Gresik, where only one candidate was on the ballot. Rather than seeing this choice as political apathy, this research interprets it as a conscious act of resistance and a demand for genuine political representation. Using a qualitative descriptive approach and symbolic interactionism theory, the study examines how young voters construct political meaning through their decision to vote for the empty box. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with informants aged 17–25 who reside in Gresik and intentionally voted for the empty box. The findings reveal that their decisions were shaped by critical reflection, peer discourse, and disillusionment with the lack of electoral competition. The act of selecting the empty box is understood as a symbolic expression of frustration, political identity, and expectations for democratic renewal. This study contributes by offering an empirical explanation of how symbolic political choices function as a form of youth resistance, a dimension rarely discussed in previous research on uncontested elections in Indonesia. It also provides a nuanced interpretation of the empty-box vote as a meaning-making process rather than a mere protest action.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-08-12</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jpi/article/view/26062</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/jpi.v10i2.26062</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Politik Indonesia: Indonesian Political Science Review; Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025): General Issues; 100-112</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2503-4456</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2477-8060</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/jpi.v10i2</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jpi/article/view/26062/7685</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2025 Politik Indonesia: Indonesian Political Science Review</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>