Title: The effect of social media factor on the 2024 local election from the voters' perspective

Authors: Zübeyir Çelik; İbrahim Aydın; Ahmet Ünal; Reha Saydan

Addresses: Department of Electronic Commerce and Management, Kütahya Faculty of Applied Sciences, Kütahya Dumlupınar University, Kütahya, Türkiye ' Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Türkiye ' Department of Civil Air Transportation Management, Akçadağ Vocational School, Malatya Turgut Özal University, Malatya, Türkiye ' Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Türkiye

Abstract: This study aims to try to understand voter behaviours from a broad and different perspective. A comprehensive model has been successfully tested in the study. The study population consists of voters who can vote in the 2024 local elections in Türkiye. The study sample consists of 420 people. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. Social media was found to have a positive effect on voting intention, word of mouth communication, candidate image, voter opinion, and voter trust. The positive effect of candidate image on voter opinion, voter trust, voting intention, and word of mouth communication was found. In addition, it was observed that both voter opinion and voter trust had a positive effect on voting intention and word of mouth communication. Implications are provided in the study.

Keywords: social media; voting intention; word of mouth communication; candidate image; voter opinion; voter trust.

DOI: 10.1504/EG.2026.154892

Electronic Government, an International Journal, 2026 Vol.22 No.4, pp.351 - 375

Received: 09 Sep 2024
Accepted: 04 Aug 2025
Published online: 17 Jul 2026 *

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