KPU Evaluation Of The 2024 Pilkada After Low Participation Of Voters Over Elections

Member Of The Indonesian KPU August Mellaz In The Press Conference On The Development Of The Implementation Of The 2024 Simultaneous Regional Head Elections At The Indonesian KPU Office, Jakarta, Friday (29/11/2024) (ANTARA)

The General Election Commission (KPU) is ready to conduct a thorough evaluation of the 2024 simultaneous regional elections because the voter participation rate is considered lower than the 2024 election.

"Actually, friends, we will definitely do the evaluation process," said KPU member August Mellaz at a press conference regarding the development of the 2024 simultaneous regional elections, at the Indonesian KPU Office, Jakarta, Friday, November 29, which was confiscated by Antara.

He emphasized that currently the KPU is still focused on monitoring the recapitulation of regional election vote count by the Regional Election Commission.

"Currently, of course, we still need time because our ranks at the provincial and district/city levels are carrying out the recapitulation stage. So, the focus is still there," he said.

He admitted that the KPU at first glance saw voter participation in the 2024 simultaneous regional elections below 70 percent.

According to him, such numbers are still categorized as normal.

"Then indeed, if we look at it at a glance, from the general picture, it's more or less below 70 percent. Nationally on average. Even though the national average is usually in the context of regional elections compared to the presidential, legislative or national elections, it's usually below," explained August.

Furthermore, he ensured that the KPU was ready to conduct an evaluation regarding voter participation which was considered to have decreased in the 2024 simultaneous regional elections.

"For example, the reason for the location of the TPS and so on, actually yes, it will probably be part of the evaluation. But in principle like this, in the last national election 800 thousand polling stations, 800 thousand more with a maximum number of 300 elections. In the regional elections, 600 people are if there is a procurement, half of the total. But actually it will not have much impact on the TPS issue," he said.

Participation of voters in regional elections in a number of areas is said to have decreased compared to the 2024 election. This also happened in Jakarta.

The Charta Politica survey institute, for example, noted that the decline in voter participation in the 2024 Jakarta Pilkada was only 58 percent. Meanwhile, the 2017 DKI Pilkada is above 70 percent.

The DKI Jakarta KPU acknowledged that the decline in voter participation had decreased even though it was still waiting for detailed data.