The world’s third-largest democracy has elected a new president.

The nation should pause and give itself credit where credit is due: A grueling and contentious presidential election was held without incident on Wednesday, despite the enthusiasm and emotion of the last several months.

More than 185 million people in Indonesia — living on the thousands of the archipelago’s islands — were eligible to exercise the franchise on election day, empowered to use their constitutional right to choose the man who will lead the nation for the next five years.

This, too, is noteworthy: Wednesday marks only the third time in the nation’s 68 years that people could directly elect the president. Previous elections were done by the legislative branch.

Unlike in the legislative election in April, people felt that there was a palpable difference between the presidential candidates — Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Prabowo Subianto — and came out in the millions.

A remarkable 70 percent of those who could vote descended on thousands of polling stations (TPS) throughout the nation to cast their ballots on Wednesday.

Different theme: Officials at TPS 03 in Cibadak in Bandung, West Java, chose a Middle Eastern theme to entertain their voters on Wednesday, donning Arab keffiyeh headdresses to honor the holy month of Ramadhan. (JP/Arya Dipa)

The TPS ranged from the traditionally exquisite, such as the TPS located inside the keraton in Yogyakarta, where Sultan Hamengkubuwono X voted, to the humble, such as the TPS located in the warrens of Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

Election mechanics remained much the same throughout the nation, with the notable exception of Papua, where some voters cast ballots in traditional noken woven bags.

Most members of the electorate, though, punched their ballots behind a partition and then dropped them into standard-issue metal boxes from the General Elections Commission (KPU) as officials watched.

After the polls closed, some lingered at their local TPS to watch the minor-key drama of vote counting. One by one, the ballots were opened and the results called out. A worker would then place a single hash mark for the appropriate ticket on a master sheet.

If the counter made a misstatement — or if the vote was tabulated incorrectly — the saksi, or campaign witnesses, would cry out — as would those in the audience. Meanwhile, journalists and others waited, smartphones in hand, ready to send the final tabulations to the head office to compile quick counts.

The people have done their part. Now it’s up to you, Mr. President-elect.

Get the ball rolling: A man casts his ballot in Giwangan in Yogakarta at a TPS elaboratly decked out with a World Cup theme. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno)

With a little help from my friends: A blind man casts his ballot with the help of an election official at TPS 01 Kelurahan Babakan Ciamis in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday. The General Elections Commission (KPU) printed special ballots in Braille for the visually impaired. (JP/Arya Dipa)

‘Tinta’: An election official manning the tinta (ink), station at TPS 11 in Gang Waru in Condet, East Jakarta, on Wednesday helps a voter mark his finger with ink. (JP/AWO)

Digital voting: Several people display their ink-stained pinky fingers after voting at polling station (TPS) 18 Kelurahan Tinjomoyo in Semarang, Central Java, on Wednesday. People have their fingers stained purple to prevent the unscrupulous from exercising the franchise more than once on election day. (JP/Suherdjoko)

The world'€™s third-largest democracy has elected a new president.

The nation should pause and give itself credit where credit is due: A grueling and contentious presidential election was held without incident on Wednesday, despite the enthusiasm and emotion of the last several months.

More than 185 million people in Indonesia '€” living on the thousands of the archipelago'€™s islands '€” were eligible to exercise the franchise on election day, empowered to use their constitutional right to choose the man who will lead the nation for the next five years.

This, too, is noteworthy: Wednesday marks only the third time in the nation'€™s 68 years that people could directly elect the president. Previous elections were done by the legislative branch.

Unlike in the legislative election in April, people felt that there was a palpable difference between the presidential candidates '€” Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo and Prabowo Subianto '€” and came out in the millions.

A remarkable 70 percent of those who could vote descended on thousands of polling stations (TPS) throughout the nation to cast their ballots on Wednesday.