Positive Voters For COVID-19 During Regional Election, How Do You Vote?

ILLUSTRATIONS / DOC. BUTTER

JAKARTA - The General Election Commission (KPU) has prepared a voting protocol for the 2020 simultaneous regional elections for voters who are confirmed positive for COVID-19. The regional election will be held on 9 December.

KPU commissioner, Ilham Saputra, said that this arrangement was intended to facilitate COVID-19 positive voters who are undergoing independent isolation or being hospitalized to exercise their voting rights.

"We also arrange for inpatients or those who carry out independent isolation who are infected with the corona virus. We have arranged for them to exercise their voting rights," Ilham said in a webinar discussion, Wednesday, November 11.

For patients who are hospitalized or isolated in health facilities, at first the district / city KPU, assisted by PPK and PPS, will collect voter data a day before polling day.

"This data collection is in collaboration with the hospital and the local COVID-19 Handling Task Force," said Ilham.

Then, the head of the local KPPS assigns two KPPS members who can be accompanied by a sub-district / village election supervisor or a TPS supervisor and witnesses carrying voting equipment to the hospital.

Ilham explained that services for the use of suffrage for patients will be carried out from 12.00 local time to completion. KPPS members who help patients exercise their voting rights are required to keep the voters' choices secret.

"For new patients who have not been registered, they can use their voting rights as long as the ballots are still available," said Ilham.

Meanwhile, with regard to voters who are positive for COVID-19 and undergoing independent isolation, their voting rights are by visiting these voters with the approval of witnesses and election supervisors.

"In providing services to voters, KPPS members continue to prioritize Voters services at TPS. Services for the use of voting rights are carried out from 12.00 local time to completion," he concluded.