Zainul Majdi and his running mate Badrul Munir, nominated by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Crescent Star Party (PBB), have the early lead in Monday's West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) gubernatorial election.
According to "quick counts" conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) and the Public Issues Network (JIP), Zainul, also known as Tuan Guru Bajang, and Munir had at least 36.72 percent of the vote.
HL Serinata and HM Husni Djibril, nominated by Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the Patriot Pancasila Party and other minor parties, trailed with 28.75 percent of the vote.
Zainy Aroni and Nurdin Ranggabarani, backed by the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP), had 17.97 percent, and Nanang Samodra and Jabir, supported by the National Awakening Party, the Democratic Party and several smaller parties, had 16.56 percent.
At a press conference at Lombok Raya Hotel, Public Issues Network official Arman Salman said his group's quick count was based on counted votes from 320 polling booths in seven regencies and two cities in the province.
"The quick count also found 74.38 percent of total eligible voters took part in the election," Arman said.
There were more than three million eligible voters, out of a population of 4.2 million, for Monday's gubernatorial election.
People in seven regencies and two cities on Lombok and Sumbawa islands cast ballots at 7,220 polling booths.
There were reports of people who were unable to vote Monday because they failed to follow proper procedures.
TIME TO VOTE: Two polling officers help a patient at Mataram General Hospital in West Nusa Tenggara cast a ballot in Monday’s gubernatorial election. (JP/Panca Nugraha)
At a voting booth at Mataram Hospital, many patients and their family members could not cast ballots because they did not have their voting cards.
"I'm sorry that I could not vote for my candidate because I did not bring my voting card," said Nur, who was at the hospital to look after a family member.
The chairman of the regional General Elections Commission, TGH Mahally Fikri, said the commission would count the ballots manually and announce the results on July 18.
He said the provincial government had allocated Rp 72 billion (US$8 million) from its budget to fund the election.
"That money is enough for two rounds of election .... We will just need Rp 40 billion, not including Rp 7 billion for security expenses, if the election can be determined in one round," Fikri said.
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