INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VOTING DECISION (A STUDY OF THE 2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN OSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ONDO STATE)

ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of social media on voting decision during the 2023 Governorship Election in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State. The study was motivated by the increasing use of social media platforms as channels for political communication, voter mobilization, political awareness, and campaign dissemination among electorates. The research sought to investigate the degree of awareness of political advertisements on social media, determine the effect of social media on voting decisions, examine the nature of social media influence on voters, and compare the influence of social media with that of traditional media in shaping electoral choices. The study adopted a survey research design and utilized both questionnaire and interview methods for data collection. A sample size of one hundred (100) respondents was randomly selected from residents of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages, while the hypotheses were tested using the Chi-square statistical technique. Findings from the study revealed that social media played a significant role in influencing voters' decisions during the 2023 governorship election. The results showed that a large proportion of respondents were aware of political campaigns and election-related information disseminated through social media platforms. The study further revealed that social media provided voters with opportunities to access political information, interact with candidates and political parties, and participate in political discussions that shaped their electoral choices. It was also found that social media served as an effective medium for political mobilization and awareness creation, although concerns regarding misinformation, propaganda, and unverified information were identified as factors capable of negatively affecting voter judgment. The study concluded that social media have become an indispensable tool in modern political communication and significantly influence voting decisions among electorates. Consequently, the study recommended that political actors, electoral bodies, and media regulators should promote responsible use of social media, encourage fact-checking of political information, and strengthen voter education programmes to enhance informed electoral participation. The study further recommended that voters should critically evaluate information obtained from social media before making electoral decisions in order to strengthen democratic processes and ensure credible elections.