| dc.description.abstract | Following the DKI Jakarta Regional Head Election in 2017, the 2018 North Sumatra
Regional Head Election demonstrates a sharp political polarization in society.
Polarization tends to be based on religious identity issues which potentially ignites
social segregation and conflict in society. The use of social media and the presence of
figures in spreading issues in political campaigns sharpens polarization. Referring to
the theory of affective polarization, identity politics and electoral democracy, the
objective of the study is to explain in depth how the form of polarization occurs in the
2018 North Sumatra regional elections, why polarization develops so sharply and how
the future of electoral democracy at the local level in terms of the political polarization
is. Then, it examines how the political campaign model is able to minimize political
polarization. This study employs a qualitative method approach and carries out
documentation, FGDs and in-depth interviews to collect observational data. The data
analysis employs Miles and Huberman and phenomenological analysis techniques. The
findings indicate that there is polarization of hatred based on religious issues in the
2018 North Sumatra election. However, this polarization exists solely for the sake of
winning electoral votes. There are no religious community conflicts in North Sumatra
before and after the regional elections took place. The sharp polarization is caused by
the spread of religious blasphemy and anti-blasphemy issues through social media
channels, as happened in the 2017 DKI Jakarta regional elections, as well as figures
involved in the political campaign for the 2018 North Sumatra regional elections.
Furthermore, this study suggests that political polarization during regional elections
degrades local democracy and has the potential to disrupt democratic consolidation at
both at the local and national levels. The study discovers "bounded deliberative"
campaign model as a model that is considered capable of decreasing the incidence of
political polarization, especially with regard to religious issues in the regional
elections. The literature search finds that all political campaign models are only
focused on ways and efforts to win votes in elections, none of which addresses on the
issue of polarization of hatred in society as a result of political campaigns. In the bound
deliberative model, candidates are given ample of opportunity to campaign and
provide to all levels of society, but this freedom is bound to formal regulations such as
laws, the General Election Commission (KPU) regulations, government regulations
and agreements made by all the elements involved. This study emphases on the
regulation of the use of media and issues, figures and specifically the winning
volunteers involved in the political campaign to win the regional elections. | en_US |
