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Selective Democratic Engagement and Voter Participation in the 2024 Elections: Evidence from Palu City, Indonesia

TEMALI : Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial · Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026) · pp. 139–150

DOI
10.15575/jt.v9i1.53978
ISSN
2615-5028
Published
2026-06-30
Publisher
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the factors that contributed to the decline in voter participation between the 2024 General Election and the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) in Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, and to explain how voters evaluated their decisions to participate in these two democratic arenas. This study employed a qualitative approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with voters, the Palu City General Election Commission, and local political observers, supported by document analysis of official electoral records. The findings indicate that the decline in voter participation was influenced by economic pressure, job mobility, administrative constraints, electoral fatigue, evaluations of local politics, and the level of trust in the local government. These factors did not directly lead to political apathy; instead, they shaped voters' evaluations of the benefits, relevance, and consequences of participating in the Pilkada. This study highlights the importance of strengthening voter education and developing electoral policies that are more responsive to local social conditions. The primary contribution of this study lies in the development of the concept of Selective Democratic Engagement, which extends Rational Choice Theory by demonstrating that voters' rational considerations are directed not only toward candidate selection but also toward the decision of whether to participate in a particular democratic arena.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 70 co-authorship links · 7 across different organisations · showing the 40 most connected

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Hasanuddin University
  • Universitas Halu Oleo
  • Universitas Muslim Buton
  • Indonesia University of Education
  • Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Bambang WidarsonoAffiliation unknown3
Heru AtmokoAffiliation unknown3
Aan AsphiantoAffiliation unknown2
Khairan ARUniversitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry2
Mira MaisuraAffiliation unknown2
Mujamilah MujamilahAffiliation unknown2
Kosasih KosasihAffiliation unknown2
Aulia Syarif AzizAffiliation unknown1
Muhammad IchsanAffiliation unknown1
Aminur AminurUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Abd. Rahman KadirUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Makkarennu MakkarennuHasanuddin University1
Sri wahyuni HarisHasanuddin University1
Hibnu NugrohoAffiliation unknown1
Austin Al HarizAffiliation unknown1
Ma'ruf Pambudi NurwantaraAffiliation unknown1
Farchan Arif RosadiAffiliation unknown1
Kania Mulia UtamiAffiliation unknown1
Aliyth PrakarsaAffiliation unknown1
Anas Aditya WijanarkoAffiliation unknown1
Ahmad Ghifari AlhasaniAffiliation unknown1
Reine RofianaAffiliation unknown1
Rinni DwiantariAffiliation unknown1
Salsabila Oktaria MirajAffiliation unknown1
La Ode KaharudinUniversitas Muslim Buton1
Dewi Asriani RidzalUniversitas Muslim Buton1
Haswan HaswanAffiliation unknown1
Veni RosnawatiAffiliation unknown1
Yandi YandiAffiliation unknown1
Ari WidodoIndonesia University of Education1
Amprasto AmprastoAffiliation unknown1
Cici Nur AzizahAffiliation unknown1
Riandi RiandiIndonesia University of Education1
Novita RestiAffiliation unknown1
Rizka Trian PalupyAffiliation unknown1
Atika WirdasariAffiliation unknown1
Huda HudaAffiliation unknown1
Nensilianti NensiliantiAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/temali/oai, first harvested 7 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en-US">Selective Democratic Engagement and Voter Participation in the 2024 Elections: Evidence from Palu City, Indonesia</dc:title>
	<dc:creator>Putri, Dhiyah Akmala</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Ridwan, Ridwan</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Political Participation</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Voting Behavior</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Simultaneous Elections</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Local Democracy</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Rational Choice</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en-US">This study aims to analyze the factors that contributed to the decline in voter participation between the 2024 General Election and the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) in Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, and to explain how voters evaluated their decisions to participate in these two democratic arenas. This study employed a qualitative approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with voters, the Palu City General Election Commission, and local political observers, supported by document analysis of official electoral records. The findings indicate that the decline in voter participation was influenced by economic pressure, job mobility, administrative constraints, electoral fatigue, evaluations of local politics, and the level of trust in the local government. These factors did not directly lead to political apathy; instead, they shaped voters' evaluations of the benefits, relevance, and consequences of participating in the Pilkada. This study highlights the importance of strengthening voter education and developing electoral policies that are more responsive to local social conditions. The primary contribution of this study lies in the development of the concept of Selective Democratic Engagement, which extends Rational Choice Theory by demonstrating that voters' rational considerations are directed not only toward candidate selection but also toward the decision of whether to participate in a particular democratic arena.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en-US">Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-06-30</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-US">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/temali/article/view/53978</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15575/jt.v9i1.53978</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en-US">TEMALI : Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial; Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026): TEMALI : Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial; 139-150</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2615-5028</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/temali/article/view/53978/16675</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">Copyright (c) 2026 Dhiyah Akmala Putri, Ridwan </dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>