Democratic Political Culture of Personnel in the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office

Abstract

Introduction: This study aims to: 1. Examine the degree of democratic political culture among staff at the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office, 2. Analyze the perspectives on the democratic political culture of staff at the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office, and 3. Create principles for the democratic political environment of staff at the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office.
Methodology: This research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods and utilizes a sample of 25 staff members from the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office. Data was gathered through closed-ended and open-ended surveys. The reliability of the questionnaire was 0.761. The statistics used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Hypothesis testing was conducted using t-test, and F-test.
Results: The study revealed that 1) The staff in the office held strong views regarding the democratic political culture of employees within the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office. Upon evaluating each factor, it was revealed that the degree of perspectives regarding the democratic political culture of the staff, particularly concerning trust in democratic governance, was the most significant. The highest level is represented by the average value, followed by engagement in political and administrative activities, reasoned expression of opinions, and lastly, adherence to the principles of democratic governance. 2) The results of the comparison of opinions among personnel in the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office based on their potential for democratic political culture in four areas-classified by gender, age, education level, occupation, and average monthly income-found. It found no differences among personnel regarding gender, age, education level, occupation, and average monthly income. Therefore, the hypothesis is rejected. 3) The democratic political culture of personnel in the Surin Provincial Election Commission Office found that 3.1) In terms of belief in democratic governance principles, the personnel have a deep understanding and high responsibility in performing tasks related to political processes and elections, which is a positive sign for building confidence in the democratic system and development at the local level. 3.2) Regarding respect for democratic governance rules, most personnel have a good perception of the importance of enforcing laws and regulations transparently and fairly in elections. Respect for the rights of the people and the importance of public participation in elections are critical factors in maintaining confidence in the democratic system. Although adherence to the rules is high, there remain areas that may require development and improvement. 3.3) Regarding participation in political and administrative activities, the personnel place significant importance on participating in election and administrative processes. 3.4) In terms of expressing opinions with reason, the personnel frequently use profound and systematic reasoning when expressing their opinions and often demonstrate an understanding of the complex political process, including the ability to explain clearly and provide examples that link to reliable data or reasoning. Personnel can often carefully analyze the pros and cons of political actions within the democratic framework.