Survey results: Majority of Dawn.com readers will vote in Feb 8 polls, but distrust electoral process – Pakistan

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Readers also doubt integrity of past elections; see economy as primary challenge for Pakistan but doubt elected officials’ ability to tackle it.

A majority of Dawn.com readers say they will vote in the forthcoming general elections that will be held on February 8, despite expressing little trust in the electoral process, according to the results of a survey that was run on the website from Jan 2-4.

Nearly 6,000 readers participated in the non-scientific survey. After cleaning up the data by removing incomplete or invalid entries, there are more than 5,500 respondents, over three-quarters of whom fall within the ages of 18-40.

Survey respondents are mostly from Pakistan (84 per cent) — predominantly from Punjab and Sindh — with notable participation from overseas Pakistanis with voting rights in Pakistan (nearly 16pc). The largest proportion of respondents are male (89.4pc), followed by female (10.24pc), and other (0.36pc). The distribution of opinions is relatively consistent across genders.

The questions of the survey focus on determining voter sentiments and gauge whether the prevailing political and economic situation will affect their intent to vote. It also seeks to learn what issues they believe are the most important for the country.


Key takeaways from the survey

  • The survey reveals respondents’ willingness to vote despite scepticism regarding the election process

  • Distrust in the media’s role in providing impartial and accurate election coverage emerges, crossing gender lines

  • Economic growth and employment stand out as paramount concerns among respondents, but doubts linger of elected officials effectively tackling unemployment and poverty

  • While there are subtle differences in issue prioritisation among demographic groups, the core concerns remain consistent


inflation has soared alarmingly, touching the daily lives of its people in the most tangible ways. Prices continue to climb, eroding the purchasing power of the citizens, and casting a pall of uncertainty over the nation’s path forward.

In parallel with these economic hardships, the political scene remains turbulent. The much-anticipated general elections, which were supposed to have taken place three months after the National Assembly was dissolved on Aug 9, are taking place on Feb 8, nearly six months later. But there are still elements who seek to delay the polls, deepening concerns about the very fabric of democracy and governance.

The survey intends to gauge the perceptions of our readers, and if and to what extent their voting preferences are affected by the circumstances.

You can find the detailed analysis below.

Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, a Nota is an option on the ballot in some countries which is designed to allow voters to indicate disapproval of all the candidates on offer for an election cycle.

The support for Nota is consistent across age groups, with the 25-40 years group showing the highest number of supporters. Both males and females predominantly support the Nota option, with males having a higher absolute number of supporters due to the larger number of male respondents. The support for Nota is also consistent across different locations, indicating a widespread appeal for this option among different geographical areas.

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