Voter Apathy in Gyeonggi Province Ahead of Local Elections

 

As the June 3 local elections approach, the political atmosphere in Gyeonggi Province remains subdued. Many citizens are unaware of the candidates vying to lead the province for the next four years.

A taxi driver in his 50s, encountered in Suwon, remarked, "There aren’t many banners on the streets, and the election atmosphere is lacking. I almost forgot there was an election coming up." Similarly, a 43-year-old man in Uijeongbu stated, "I have no interest in politics, so I don’t know who is running. I’ll probably vote for the candidate from the party I usually support when I get to the polling station."

With the election atmosphere failing to heat up, voters are expressing fatigue with politics and seem more focused on assigning blame for conflicts between parties rather than evaluating candidates. A 73-year-old woman at Uijeongbu Jeil Market said, "Politicians are always fighting, so I have no interest. I don’t like any of the candidates, and I don’t even know who is running for governor of Gyeonggi Province," but she added, "I think the ruling party shouldn’t have unchecked power, so I’m considering voting for the People Power Party."

Conversely, a 27-year-old man from Suwon expressed skepticism about Choo Mi-ae, the Democratic Party candidate, saying, "Even if she wins, I don’t think she’ll pay much attention to provincial issues, only responding to central political issues." He also criticized the People Power Party for not adequately distancing itself from former President Yoon Suk-yeol and for lacking reflection on past actions.

A recent poll conducted from May 4 to 5 among 802 voters in Gyeonggi Province indicated that Choo Mi-ae garnered 50.8% support, significantly ahead of Yang Hyang-ja from the People Power Party, who received 31.5%. Cho Eung-cheon from the Reform Party was supported by 6.6% of respondents. This survey was conducted by JoWon C&I using an automated response system (ARS) and has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level (for more details, visit the Central Election Survey Deliberation Commission website).

However, analysts caution that, based on past election results in Gyeonggi Province, the outcome may remain uncertain until the votes are counted. In the previous election, the margin of victory was just 8,913 votes (0.15 percentage points). At that time, Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party led in districts like Bundang in Seongnam and Cheoin and Suji in Yongin, but Kim Dong-yeon of the Democratic Party secured enough support in Bucheon, Hwaseong, and Siheung to narrowly win.
  In fact, many voters encountered on the streets expressed hesitation in choosing whom to vote for, indicating they would decide after thoroughly reviewing the candidates' capabilities and policies. Residents of Gyeonggi Province particularly emphasized the need for policies related to housing and transportation that directly affect their daily lives.

A 56-year-old woman from Dongtan, who has not yet chosen a candidate, commented, "Since the GTX line opened, it’s quick to get from Dongtan Station to Seoul, but it still takes a long time to travel within Dongtan. I hope transportation within Dongtan improves." A 31-year-old man living in Bundang expressed a desire for the next governor to effectively address practical issues like transportation and housing prices.

In northern Gyeonggi Province, there are also complaints about policies and investments being concentrated in the south. A 38-year-old woman from Goyang stated, "I hope this election focuses more on the economy and people’s livelihoods rather than negative campaigning. It feels like policies are only directed at southern Gyeonggi, and I hope there is consideration for all residents of Gyeonggi Province."