The Power of Incumbency: Abdul Gani Kasuba^s Strategy to Win the Voice of the Makean Ethnic Group in South Halmahera in the 2018 North Maluku Governor Election Agusmawanda1 , La ode Muhmeliadi2, Mahmud Husen3
Department of Political Science Muhammadiyah University North Maluku,
1agusmawanda79[at]gmail.com.
2muhmeliadi7[at]gmail.com
3polmahmud245[at]gmail.com
Abstract
Sociological factors that base ethnic identity in each political context in the region, elections
for governors, mayors, and regents have always been vital in political struggles at the
electoral level. Likewise, in the political tradition in North Maluku Province, the ethnic
sentiment is an instrument used to get electoral support. In the 2018 gubernatorial election in
Kayoa District South Halmahera, ethnic instrumentation did not work because the incumbent
governor, who had a Tobelo-Galela ethnic background, managed to win votes in the group.
The Makean-Kayoa ethnic group surpassed the other candidates with the Makean-Kayoa
ethnic background. Thus, the research question is how the incumbent governor^s political
strategy in winning the Makean ethnic group^s vote. Base on SWOT analysis, the political
method is used to use incumbent figures, implementing programs, and party machines to
influence voters.
Keywords: Power of Incumbency, Strategy, Governor Election
