In compliance with the Constitutional Court's verdict that the East Java gubernatorial election was rigged, the provincial poll body is preparing a recount of ballots in Pamekasan regency and a vote rerun in neighboring Sampang and Bangkalan.
Poll body member Arief Budiman said Wednesday the vote recount was scheduled to take place from Dec. 16 to Dec. 18 this year and the vote rerun on Jan. 21, 2009.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) and the home minister, however, asked the East Java General Elections Commission (KPUD) to organize the vote rerun by the end of this year, citing that the amended regional administration law bans regional elections in 2009 as the legislative and general elections will be held that year.
"We will coordinate with the KPU and the acting governor on technical and financial problems," Arief said.
The activities will cost the KPUD an extra Rp 20 billion.
However, preparations in the field are pending as poll workers await instructions from the KPUD on the logistics of a recount and a vote rerun.
Pamekasan elections commission chairman Imanuddin said he did not expect the recount to produce a different result, despite the Constitutional Court's concerns about the first count.
The vote tally revealed governor and vice governor candidates Soekarwo and Saifullah Yusuf beat rivals Khofifah Indar Parawansa and Mudjiono by 22,000 votes, with around 475,000 valid votes counted.
Chairman of the Bangkalan KPUD Jazuli Noer said it was unclear whether the poll workers would have to update the list of eligible voters and when they should distribute the ballots to district poll committees.
He said the rerun would be as tough to stage as the previous election.
"Khofifah can only hope to win the gubernatorial post if she secures more than 200,000 votes," Jazuli said.
The Constitutional Court ordered a vote rerun and a recount of ballots in three regencies on Madura Island after finding "systematic and massive" violations had helped Soekarwo secure victory.
Madura had been known as a stronghold of the United Development Party (PPP), which nominates Khofifah and Mudjiono.
In Jakarta, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose Democratic Party nominates Soekarwo and Saifullah, called on all parties to respect the court's ruling.
"Let's respect the democratic process. We have to follow the channel provided by the law in case there is something deemed wrong in the election result," Yudhoyono told a press conference to respond to the court's decision.
He also asked eligible voters to exercise their right in the vote rerun.
Desy Nurhayati contributed to the story from Jakarta.
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