Anggaran Penyelenggaraan Pemilu: Analisis Biaya per Pemilih dan Determinannya di Kabupaten/Kota di Provinsi Maluku (2014, 2019, 2024)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the efficiency of election administration budgets at the regency/municipality level in Maluku Province, as measured by cost per voter. The three main variables examined are population density, the level of digitalization of the electoral process, and procurement competition. The study employs panel data covering 11 regencies/municipalities across three election periods (2014, 2019, and 2024), analyzed using a Fixed Effects Model (FEM) panel regression approach. The results show that population density (X1) and the level of electoral process digitalization (X2) have negative and significant effects on cost per voter (Y). These findings indicate that areas with higher population density and greater adoption of digital systems are able to reduce the average cost per voter, consistent with the principles of economies of scale and transaction cost efficiency. In contrast, procurement competition (X3) has a negative but statistically insignificant effect, implying that variations in the number of tender participants have not yet produced a substantial impact on election cost efficiency in archipelagic areas characterized by a limited number of goods and service providers. These results confirm that fiscal efficiency in election administration in Maluku is determined more by structural factors and technological capacity than by procurement market factors. Therefore, policies aimed at strengthening the digitalization of electoral systems and improving population-related infrastructure are crucial for achieving efficient and equitable election budget management across regions.