Strategi Pemasaran Sosial dan Efisiensi Anggaran dalam Mendukung Partisipasi Pemilih pada KPU Kota Semarang

Abstract

The 2024 Election and Pilkada cycle placed the General Elections Commission (KPU) under twin pressures: it had to broaden voter participation while state budget allocations for elections were being tightened for efficiency. This study examines how a social marketing strategy can be integrated with budget-efficiency principles to support voter participation at the KPU of Semarang City. Using a qualitative descriptive method based on a literature review and secondary data from KPU publications and comparable studies at other regional KPU offices, the study synthesizes the social marketing concept, the social marketing mix, and the concept of budget-realization effectiveness. The results show that Semarang City has recorded a rising trend in voter participation, reaching 71.25% in the 2024 Pilkada and around 80% in the 2024 legislative and presidential election, supported by segmented socialization, multi-platform digital communication, and cross-institutional collaboration, while several sub-districts still show low participation and require a more efficient, targeted budget strategy. The study recommends platform-based audience segmentation, optimization of low-cost digital channels, cross-sector partnerships, and performance-based budget planning as the basis for an integrated social marketing and budget-efficiency strategy for KPU Semarang City.