Impacts of Social Media on Election Outcomes: an Analysis of Nigerians 2023 Presidential Election: a Casa Study of Karji Area Kaduna

ABSTRACT This study examines the impacts of social media on election outcomes, with a focus on the 2023 Nigerian Presidential Election and a case study of Karji Area, Kaduna. Grounded in the Technological Determinism Theory, the research explores how social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook influence public opinion, election forecasting, and reporting. Using a descriptive research design, data was collected from 246 respondents via a Google Form shared within a local WhatsApp group. The findings reveal that social media significantly shapes voter perceptions, facilitates election predictions, and serves as a primary source of election-related information. However, challenges such as misinformation, reduced trust in official results, and polarization were identified. The study concludes that while social media serves as a powerful tool for democratic engagement and political mobilization, it also introduces risks to electoral credibility. Recommendations include regulatory measures to combat misinformation, greater public education on critical media literacy, and the need for official electoral bodies to engage more actively on social media platforms to counter unofficial narratives. These findings provide insights into the dual role of social media in enhancing and complicating electoral processes in Nigeria.