Ilham Centre study shows young voters are candidate-focused, late deciders, with no absolute party loyalty in Johor election.
JOHOR BAHRU: Young voters in the 16th Johor State Election are increasingly seen to be highly candidate-centric in their voting patterns and tend to make their decisions at the last minute, according to a study by the Ilham Centre.
In a statement today, the Ilham Centre said the stance of this group differs from that of previous generations, with no absolute preference among young voters.
According to the research centre, the influence of traditional family voting preferences has become increasingly minimal, while party identity is no longer the dominant factor. Instead, considerations regarding candidates have taken precedence.
“They assess candidates based on their communication skills, service record, visibility in the constituency (and on social media), and commitment to resolving local issues.
“As a result, last-minute decisions among young voters often lead to a more even distribution of support and are difficult to predict, without giving any political bloc an outright advantage,” the statement said.
The Ilham Centre said that under such circumstances, a clear advantage lies with incumbents who have demonstrated strong performance.
“Those with a proven track record, who are easily accessible to the public and have remained active throughout their tenure as elected representatives enjoy a higher level of trust, including among young voters.
“A track record is political capital that is far more valuable than party branding alone,” it said, adding that new candidates face greater challenges in introducing their capabilities.
The research centre also noted that the short campaign period has left many new candidates still struggling to build recognition, credibility and voter confidence.
In an increasingly candidate-centric contest, the statement said the personal strengths of candidates have become the key determining factor, particularly in marginal seats with a high composition of young voters.
Although many in this group do not have a deep level of political awareness, the Ilham Centre’s study found that their desire to vote is high.
“They view voting as a civic responsibility, but have yet to develop strong loyalty to any political party. Another important characteristic is that they are a group that makes decisions at the last minute.
“Political decisions are usually finalised only towards the end of the campaign period after they have assessed the candidates,” the research centre said.
According to Election Commission statistics, there are 2,727,926 registered voters for the Johor polls, and 1,297,931 voters are aged between 18 and 39.
The Johor state election, involving 56 seats, has attracted 172 candidates, with Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional fielding candidates in all constituencies.
Also contesting are Perikatan Nasional, with 33 candidates; Parti Bersama Malaysia, 15; the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, four; Parti Orang Asli Malaysia and Parti Sosialis Malaysia with one candidate each, and six independent candidates.
For the latest updates on the 16th Johor State Election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor.
