Abstract:
The Study of Political Activities and Voting Behavior of General Election 2023: Songkhla Province is a research investigation into the second general election held under the 2017 Constitution in 2023, which is distinct from the first general election held in 2019. The significant difference from the previous election, which is one of the crucial factors influencing political behavior and election outcomes for both political parties, campaign teams, and eligible voters, is the electoral system.
In the 2019 election, Mixed Member Apportionment (MMA) system was used, where a single ballot was cast to elect members of parliament in both single -member constituencies and party-list constituencies. This system has led to numerous issues and
problems during various phases of the election process, including the pre-election period, the campaign phase, the vote counting process, and the allocation of seats in the party -list system.
In the 2023 election, the electoral system shifted to a parallel voting system where voters cast two separate ballots, one for a single-member constituency and the other for a party-list. The research objectives encompass the following:
1. To study the political dynamics and behaviors of political actors, such as politicians, political parties, and political interest groups in Songkhla Province.
2. To investigate the political dynamics and behaviors of the general public and their influence on election outcomes in Songkhla Province.
3. To analyze the role and activities of the elect ion commission and relevant government agencies in Songkhla Province.
4. To identify factors influencing voters' decisions, including an analysis of election outcomes for members of parliament in Songkhla Province.
5. To examine the role and impact of various watchdog organizations that oversee election management in Songkhla Province.
The research methodology employed qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews, non-participant observations, and data synthesis from various sources such as documents, books, and media.
The researcher has established the framework for the study, which examines how the political, economic, and social landscape, both at the national and regional levels in Songkhla, influences candidates, political parties, and eligible voters. Simultaneously, there
exists an ongoing interaction between candidates, political parties, and eligible voters, from before the election to the election day itself, which affects political dynamics and voting behavior.
The study revealed that the political dynamics and voting behavior closely align with the political, economic, and social landscape. This is particularly evident in the parallel voting system, where each voter casts two separate ballots, one for a single -member
constituency and the other for the party-list system, using two distinct ballot papers. In this system, most candidates primarily focus on winning votes in the single -member constituencies, while the party-list system allows voters not affiliated with any specific party
to select a different party. A significant number of eligible voters choose candidates from different parties in the single-member constituency and party-list systems, which results in the winning candidates in the single-member constituencies not necessarily being affiliated with the political parties that secured the top position in the party-list system.
The study revealed that among the 9 single-member constituencies, the Democrat Party regained popularity, securing 6 out of the 9 seats, compared to winning only 3 seats in the 2019 election. The remaining 3 seats were divided among the Bhumjai Thai Party, Palang Pracharath Party, and the newly formed United Thai Nation Party. The Move Forward Party, which did not win any single-member constituency, secured the top position in the party-list system, winning 6 constituencies, and achieving the second position in the other 3 constituencies. Conversely, the United Thai Nation Party secured the top position in the party-list system, ranking first in 3 constituencies and second in 6 constituencies. The Democrat Party, on the other hand, ranked third in the party-list system in nearly all constituencies, except for constituency 7, where they secured the fourth position.
If we consider the scores in the party-list system, which reflect the popularity of political parties as mentioned above, it serves as an indicator that the rising trend of the liberalism, led by the Move Forward Party, is competing with the conservatism, led by the
United Thai Nation Party, instead of the Democrat Party. It could be said that liberalism has overtaken the conservatism in Songkhla province.