Social Networks and Elections: Evidence from the Indonesian Presidential Elections

Although considerable research has concentrated on digital campaigning, it is still unclear how candidates use different social media platforms during the election. Taking a focus on the presidential elections in Indonesia in 2014 and 2019 and the political strategies adopted. This research investigates the differences in presidential elections from two different years and then focuses on the digital campaign strategy in 2019 through two social media platforms, Facebook, and Twitter. Based on open responses from semi-structure interviews submitted to several experts in this field, the results of the interview are identified into several key results which then become the answers to the research questions to answer the main hypothesis. Then, to strengthening the main hypothesis, an analysis has been carried out at the stage of social media data on Facebook and Twitter through content and topics raised on the candidate's account on Facebook and Twitter. The analysis shows that the difference between the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections is the use of the mainstream media and new media. And through social media, both candidates have certain tactics in conducting digital campaigns to attract voter's attention.