Indonesian Young Voters: Political Knowledge and Electing Women into Parliament

While there are numerous studies available on general elections and young voters in Indonesia, far less research has systematically studied the particular connection between young voters and electing female representative. This contribution deals with Indonesian young voters (17-24 years old) by investigating (a) their shared political knowledge on electoral systems and (b) their preferences in electing female legislators. Using data from 234 respondents with various backgrounds, it argues that the vast majority of Indonesian youth are relatively less-informed with regards to the country’s political and electoral systems. This paper demonstrates gender gap exists in both political knowledge and preferences. It also suggests that young electorates offer a massive support to male over female candidates as nearly 75 percent of respondents are more inclined to elect a male parliamentarian. The study finds that there is no significant difference in terms of voting behavior between young and non-young Indonesian voters during legislative elections, as both groups are influenced by gender stereotypes about the ability of male and female politicians to represent the constituents.