Indonesian Citizens In New York To Vote On February 10

DOCUMENTATION/ANTARA PHOTO/Ridhwan Ermalora Siregar

JAKARTA - The New York Foreign Election Committee (PPLN) will carry out a vote for the 2024 General Election using the TPS method on Saturday, February 10, 2024, four days earlier than the vote in Indonesia.

New York PPLN member for socialization, data and information, Hendra Parley, on Wednesday said that according to KPU regulations, overseas elections were indeed held earlier, namely in the range of nine days before the domestic general election.

"The election on February 10 happens to be the weekend, so there will be more voters who can attend in person," Parley said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 10.

PPLN New York noted that 11,141 Indonesian citizens were registered as a permanent voter list (DPT) in the 2024 General Election. The work areas of PPLN New York are spread across 13 states: Conneticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Of the total 11,141 voters in the New York PPLN working area, most will use the post method to channel their voting rights, which is 6,647 people. Meanwhile, as many as 2,532 people will use the TPS method, and as many as 1,962 people will use the mobile ballot box (KSK) method.

Parley explained that the postal method was the most chosen by Indonesian citizens in the New York PPLN working area due to distance considerations. This is because all polling stations will only be placed in New York, while KSK will only be in Philadelphia and Dover, New Hampshire.

PPLN New York has increased the number of TPS, KSK, and posts from five to 15, consisting of 5 TPS, 5 KSK, and 5 posts. This addition is carried out considering the large number of DPT in the New York PPLN working area.

Parley said voting through polling stations would not be held at the New York Consulate General's office such as the 2019 General Election.

"The 2024 election will be held in February and it will be winter. We have 2,532 voters (with the TPS method) and it is impossible (the Indonesian Consulate General's office) to accommodate everything at the same time so that the 2024 General Election will be held outside the Indonesian Consulate General in the Republic of Indonesia. We will rent a building which is strategically located and can accommodate the capacity of 2,532 people," he said.

The local government supports the implementation of the 2024 Indonesia General Election in New York, and allows the direct voting process at TPS and KSK.

Based on the recapitulation of foreign DPT set by the KPU on July 2, 2023, voters abroad amounted to 1,750,474 people and served by 128 PPLN. There are three electoral methods abroad, consisting of 828 polling stations, 1,580 families, and 651 posts.