Decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting: moderating effect of trust in the system

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants that influence students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting, and to investigate the moderating effect on students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting between students with different levels of trust in the system. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a quantitative method and applied the use of self-administered questionnaires among university students who have at least experienced once in casting votes electronically in the past year during the campus e-voting period. The data were analysed using partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach. Findings The PLS-SEM approach revealed that voters’ commitment to vote was the strongest determinant of students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting. Voters’ high satisfaction with campus e-voting was based on the commitment and requirement of students of the university to vote. Compulsory voting was not a hassle for them in order to achieve campus development and sustainability. A moderation analysis revealed that the relative influence of commitment to vote on students’ satisfaction in campus e-voting was higher in the group with medium level of trust than among the group with high level of trust. Practical implications The election commission of the university and the university management should increase students’ turnout and commitment to vote during campus e-voting by outlining effective marketing strategies, campaigns and promotions across a number of digital platforms, including mobile SNS. They need to ensure that voters can sense their involvement is warranted and will continue to vote electronically in the next campus election. Originality/value The research yielded an exclusive perspective into students’ decision-making and satisfaction in campus e-voting. It also uncovered the influence of moderating effect of trust in the system in developing countries which is marginally concealed in the literature. The measurements produced can be used as a research tool for more exploratory and explanatory research related to political marketing among young adult voters.