KPU Facilitates Voters Who Vote For Empty Boxes In The 2024 Pilkada

ILLUSTRATION OF DOK VOI

JAKARTA - KPU member Idham Holik said that the KPU still facilitates the voter's right not to choose a single candidate, and selects an empty box or what is also called the ballot without taking pictures. Idham explained that the KPU had designed ballots for single candidates.

"For the single candidate, the first one will be a ballot design with a photo of the candidate pair, which then is that the ballot does not take pictures, or begins with a ballot that does not take pictures, then the candidate pair," said Idham as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, August 30.

Idham continued that although the sole candidate was only the candidate pair competing in the regional elections, he would still be drawn.

"The KPU will draw whether this single candidate gets serial number 1, or serial number 2 or vice versa," he said.

Idham explained that the term empty box does not actually exist in the Pilkada Law, even though it is popular in the community.

Idham assessed that the term emerged from the politics of village head election, which if the candidate was single, then voters also had the right not to choose the single candidate, aka choosing an empty box.

"In the election, there is actually no such thing as an empty box, there is a ballot letter that does not take pictures, or what is called a single candidate," said Idham.

He considered that the law in principle did not prohibit voters from choosing empty boxes, but that the KPU did not facilitate campaigns for empty boxes.

"We emphasize that in the Pilkada Law there is no obligation of the KPU to facilitate empty boxes. In the context of freedom of expression, in electoral democracy, if there are people who have political views that are different from single candidates, the law does not prohibit it," said Idham.

Apart from that, Idham said that the regional elections are an opportunity for residents in their regions to choose a candidate for regional head who will lead for the next 5 years. Even the candidate for regional head, Idham believes, has programs and vision and mission for development in his area. "Pilkada is the time to talk about the future of development and regional government," said Idham.

Chairman of the Indonesian KPU Mochamad Afifuddin said there are 48 regions that have the potential to only have a single candidate. In detail, he continued, there is one province, namely in West Papua, then in five cities and 42 districts.

However, moments after the press conference, the KPU updated regional data that have the potential to have a single candidate to 43 regions, consisting of one province in West Papua, five cities, and 37 districts.