Tuy’s Open Secret: A Qualitative Study on the Influence of Election-Related Violence to the Voting Behavior of Gen Z Residents in Tuy, Batangas

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of Election-Related Violence (ERV) on the voting behavior of Generation Z residents in Tuy, Batangas, using an interpretivist framework. With Tuy, Batangas declared as an election hotspot under the yellow category, the narrative of local voters were used to understand how socio-political and environmental factors were shaped by ERVs. Gen Z participants, aged 18 to 27, from the five most populated barangays in Tuy, Batangas, who voted in at least two barangay or national elections and were residents for at least 10 years, were selected for the study. The researchers used qualitative narrative inquiry to examine the Gen Z voters’ experiences of ERVs. Evident in their lived experiences, ERVs included vote-buying, political intimidation & gapangan (political maneuvering). The study revealed how external factors, such as the state of voting precincts, familial ties, and societal pressure, intersected with internal factors which shaped the decision-making processes of Gen Z voters. Narratives from voters revealed the internal dimensions of fear, loyalty, and political tolerance are negotiated in the presence of ERVs. Through the foregrounding the lived experiences of Generation Z voters, there were two key findings revealed. One, elections acted as a catalyst which made systematic violence more evident, emphasized in the rise of ERVs. Two, while Generation Z had an increasing awareness of ERV and political issues, it is paired with a rising commitment to participate in the electoral process. Many participants conveyed a sense of empowerment, recognizing elections as one of the few avenues to challenge the normalized violence in Tuy, Batangas. Despite the widespread recognition of ERVs, recent academic research on the topic remains limited primarily due to the lack of reliable data sources especially in Batangas province. Hence, the study contributes to the existing body of literature on election-related issues. By focusing on fear, loyalty, and political tolerance, the research sheds light on the broader implications of ERV on voter participation, enriching the discourse on political violence in light of the election period in both academic and practical contexts.