The Role of Students as Agent of Change in Increasing Young Voter Participation in the 2024 General Election

Abstrak

Political participation in Indonesia is an important indicator in evaluating the quality of democracy in
this country. One significant form of political participation is voting in general elections. The holding
of elections plays a central role in efforts to realize democratic government. Young voters, consisting
of individuals aged 17 to 21 years, have a special role in elections. However, data from the General
Election Commission (KPU) shows that young voters, especially in the 15- to 39-year-old age group,
tend to experience a tendency not to vote (abstention) in elections. This article discusses the
importance of young voter participation in the context of democratic development, the challenges
faced in increasing young voter participation, and strategies that can be implemented by students to
increase young voter participation. The research method used in this article is a qualitative method of
collecting data through interviews with students from the PPKn FKIP UNS study program. The
research results show that students have the potential to be agents of change through their knowledge
and intellectual skills. Students can increase the participation of young voters through social media
campaigns, voter education programs, collaboration with student organizations, increasing the
accessibility of general elections, mentoring and coaching programs, and the use of technology.
However, there are challenges such as low public trust, a lack of information about potential
candidates, and a mindset that still underestimates the participation of young voters. Therefore, the
recommended strategies are political education, election monitoring, campaigning on social media,
mentoring young voters, collaboration with the KPU, and the use of social media such as Instagram
and WhatsApp. It is hoped that this article can provide a better understanding of the role of students in
increasing the participation of young voters in the 2024 general election and contributing to the
development of democracy in Indonesia.