Factors Affecting Digital Democracy in Indonesia: Evidence from Sinjai Regency

This article examines the dynamics of digital democracy in the 2024 regional head elections in Sinjai Regency, an area with unique geographical, infrastructural, and literacy challenges. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, this study explores the experiences of the community, election organisers, and other stakeholders through in-depth interviews, observations, and analysis of official documents. The results show that digital democracy in Sinjai is still hampered by four main factors, namely infrastructure limitations that create a first-level digital divide; low digital literacy that reinforces a second-level digital divide; a policy–practice gap; and the emergence of a new dimension in the form of a trust-based digital divide that reflects low public trust in official digital channels. These findings confirm that digital democracy in developing regions cannot be understood solely through the framework of access and skills, but must also include institutional and socio-cultural factors that influence trust.