An Integrative Model of Candidate Image, Political Campaigns, Cultural Values, and Psychological Determinants of Voting Intention in the Maluku Gubernatorial Election
Keywords:
Candidate Image, Political Campaigns, Cultural Values, Voting Intention, Maluku.Abstract
Political marketing has increasingly shaped how political actors build public trust and influence voter perceptions, yet research on its impact in regions such as Maluku remains limited. The competitive dynamics of the 2024 Maluku Gubernatorial Election demonstrate the importance of understanding how candidate image and campaign activities shape voter attitudes and choices. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of candidate image and political campaign strategies on voting interest and voting decisions in the 2024 Maluku Gubernatorial Election. This study employed a longitudinal survey conducted in Ambon City, Maluku, using non-probability purposive sampling of eligible 2024 voters to examine the application of marketing mix theory and the theory of planned behavior in political activities. The findings show that candidate images and political campaigns have a significant impact on shaping voter attitudes, as evidenced by high T-statistics and low P-values. Cultural values also play a central role by strongly shaping voter attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, indicating that local culture is a fundamental element in political preference formation in Maluku. The results further demonstrate that positive attitudes toward candidates and supportive subjective norms significantly increase voting intentions among voters. Overall, the study confirms that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are the three dominant psychological factors that determine voting interest in the political context of Maluku.
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