Majority of Voters Confident in Election Fairness Ahead of Special Election in Philippines

 

Tracking Global Events | 22 February 2023

In mid-2022, Congressman Jesus Crispin Remulla became Justice Secretary, leaving his post in Cavite, a province just south of Manila. Campaigning in the special election to replace him began in late January, and votes will be cast on February 25th. This election, in a district in one of the most industrialized and fastest-growing provinces, has drawn national attention and may provide early leading indicators for the 2025 house and senate races. The Philippines Commission on Elections has taken steps to reassure the public about the reliability of aging vote-counting machines and has implemented a firearms ban in Cavite and the National Capital Region. Premise launched a survey to understand how contributors view the election and their trust in the electoral process.

Key Insights

Insights

  • Confidence in the legitimacy of the election is high within Cavite Province. Among those surveyed, 62% agree or strongly agree when presented with the statement “I believe the election will be conducted fairly”. 32% indicated that they neither agree nor disagree, while a minority of 7% disagree or strongly disagree.
  • Most respondents trust vote-counting machines. 55% agree or strongly agree with the statement “I believe that automated vote-counting machines are accurate and reliable”. 36% indicated that they neither agree nor disagree, while a minority of
    just 9% disagree or strongly disagree.
  • Those surveyed remain uncertain on the potential for political violence. Respondents were evenly split on the likelihood of political violence, suggesting that many believe it will occur regardless of the election’s perceived fairness.

Methodology

Premise used convenience sampling to collect sentiment data from 582 respondents in Cavite Province, Philippines between February 8th and 17th. This type of non-probability sampling draws from available survey populations to produce rapid insights.

Premise In Action

Premise offers a unique ability to quickly source information from real people on the ground in hard-to-reach places. Over five million people in 140 countries are using the Premise app on their smartphones, enabling our customers to monitor a situation over time and employ a data-driven approach to timely decision-making. To learn more about Premise, watch our tech demo or get in touch with us.