Coming In Healthy Condition, Leaving TPS Joko Santoso Died

JAKARTA - Joko Santoso, a voter at TPS 7, Soso Village, Gandusari District, Blitar Regency, passed away shortly after giving his voting rights in the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) of Blitar Regency, East Java, Wednesday, December 9.

"Earlier he gave his vote at around 09.00 WIB, came to vote and left the TPS. When he left the TPS, he fainted, was taken home and died," said Panwas Officer Gandusari Subdistrict Fajar Kolis when confirmed, Wednesday.

From his family's information, said Fajar, Joko Santoso had a history of heart disease and high blood pressure. Now his body is in the funeral home.

"Earlier, it happened that the child was also a witness. The person in question came back healthy," he said.

The KPPS officer had contacted the local puskesmas. Joko was evacuated by officers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

According to Fajar, this incident did not stop the voting activity completely.

Blitar KPU chairman Hadi Santoso admitted that he had received reports related to the voters who fell unconscious and then died.

"At TPS 7 it is true that someone has died. I ordered the location to also be disinfected regularly," said Hadi.

The Pilkada of Blitar Regency took place simultaneously, on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, followed by two candidate pairs, namely the incumbent pair Rijanto-Marhaenis Urip Widodo and candidate pair Rini Syarifah (Mak Rini) -Rahmad Santoso.

The General Election Commission (KPU) of Blitar Regency has also determined the number of final voter lists (DPT) for the Pilkada of Blitar Regency as many as 961,971 people and 2,278 polling stations (TPS) spread over 22 sub-districts of the Blitar Regency area.

Previously, Bawaslu of Blitar Regency also received reports that a TPS had to be moved from its original location after residents around the TPS died.

The transfer was carried out to ensure that the voting rights were granted smoothly, especially now that it is still in the COVID-19 pandemic.