Election commission: West Sumatra ready to hold simultaneous elections

West Sumatra Elections Commission announced Thursday that the province was ready to hold gubernatorial elections simultaneously with the administrative chief elections in 13 regencies and municipalities on June 30.

“In 55 days, we will hold simultaneous elections,” commission chairman Marzul Veri said in Jakarta on Thursday, as quoted by Antara news agency, adding that all election equipment and services had been prepared.

Marzul said five gubernatorial candidate pairs and 63 candidate pairs for regent and mayor would compete to garner votes from around 3.26 million voters.

General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Abdul Hafiz Anshary lauded the provincial commission for being able to hold the elections despite the fact three regencies and one municipality were the areas hardest hit by the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in September.