In a nationwide survey conducted in collaboration with Kantipur Media Group and Sharecast Initiative Nepal, the highest number of respondents, 28 percent, said they look at a candidate's personality/qualifications and abilities.
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Voters are seen favoring casting their votes based on the personality/qualifications and capabilities of the candidates in the upcoming House of Representatives elections.
In a nationwide survey conducted in collaboration with Kantipur Media Group and Sharecast Initiative Nepal, 28 percent of respondents said they look at the personality/qualifications and capabilities of the candidate, the highest number.
During the survey, 2,905 people were asked in person, ‘What basis do you prioritize when deciding whether to support a political party or vote for a candidate?’ They were not given possible answer options. The respondents answered in their own way.
The survey results indicate that most voters will not vote based on political beliefs in this election. Only one in a hundred said they would vote based on political beliefs. The number of respondents who said they would vote based on the parties’ manifestos and commitments is also very low. Only about 1 percent mentioned the manifestos and commitments as the basis for voting.
Almost all the parties participating in the upcoming election had made their manifestos public last week. There is no significant correlation between the plans made public in the next 5 to 10 years, such as pledges, promises, manifestos, resolutions, etc., and the actual priorities of the citizens.
Respondents say that they give priority to the personality, qualifications, capabilities, development and infrastructure construction plans and conduct of the candidate rather than the name and flag of the party, ideology or philosophy. Among those who give priority to the personality/qualifications and capabilities of the candidate, there are 4 percent more men than women.
Respondents who give priority to personality/qualifications and capabilities are more than other age groups, and when viewed by province, the highest number of respondents are from Koshi Province.
Since respondents directly focus on the qualifications and capabilities of the candidate, it seems that voters are trying to choose the candidate before the 'party'. One in four respondents in the study said that they would give priority to a candidate who can work in development and infrastructure. The number of such respondents is the second largest. The respondents' statement that they are looking for a candidate who can build development and infrastructure shows the hunger for development among the people in the country. This is also confirmed by the fact that the respondents mentioned the construction of roads and other infrastructure as the main problem in their lives. It seems that the respondents have made the 'visible work' such as roads, bridges, drinking water, sewage/drainage, construction and other improvements related to daily life as the primary basis.
There are more respondents in the Far West who should make development/infrastructure the 'main basis'. Among the respondents who prioritize those who can do development and infrastructure work, the highest number is in the Far West, 17 percent, which is about 5 percent more than the national average of 12 percent.
About 12 percent said that they would make a decision based on the vision and plan of the candidate. In this, it seems that the respondents have made the candidate's thinking, vision, policy and long-term plan the main basis before the list of 'I will do this-that work'. About 38.2 percent of the richest group in terms of economic level and male voters (67 percent) said that they would prioritize the candidate's 'vision', values, and plans.
Some respondents also answered that they would prioritize 'honest/anti-corruption' candidates. This shows that voters are looking for honest candidates along with competence.
There are also respondents who prioritize leaders who 'serve the people'. Due to this, it seems that candidates who listen to the grievances of the people, have easy access to government services, speed up the delivery of public services, and treat everyone equally without looking at nepotism/favouritism will get preference from the people in the election. There are also respondents who consider the candidate's previous work experience, past background, and even the party's 'track record' as important bases.
