Precisely because Jonin were so scarce, both sides in the election focused their efforts on the major ninja clans, because those long-established clans were fertile ground for producing Jonin in large numbers.
Compared to Jonin from ninja clans, civilian-born Jonin were not only fewer in number, but often had certain obvious shortcomings or weaknesses.
This was because they lacked the support of a clan. Though they possessed considerable talent, their lack of systematic ninja education left them short on tactics and lacking in versatility. This was also the main reason why civilian Jonin—or rather, all civilian ninja—had casualty rates far higher than ninja born into clans in war and on missions.
Ninja born into clans, however, had access to all kinds of ninjutsu and Forbidden Techniques developed generation after generation by their forebears, mature tactics proven on the battlefield by their predecessors, and the experience and lessons their ancestors had bought with blood. Thus, ninja from clans were not only more well-rounded and tactically versatile, but also far surpassed civilian ninja in perspective and knowledge.
As a result, their survival rate was naturally far higher than that of civilian ninja.
So, in the confidence vote where numbers mattered, even a middling ninja clan could easily gather a whole group of Jonin.
This was due to their survival rates. These clans had many Jonin who had retired due to injuries or withdrawn in old age. Though these Jonin no longer possessed combat strength befitting their rank, that did not prevent them from participating in the confidence vote as Jonin, and their vote was no different from that of a Jonin in his prime.
Before long, a commotion rose from the plaza.
The cause was a massive group of Uchiha Clan Jonin walking together toward the ballot boxes outside the main entrance