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Jakarta Post

Some regions may not vote until 2017

Online voting: An IT expert demonstrates in Jakarta on Wednesday e-voting technology to be used in this December’s simultaneous regional elections

Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, July 30, 2015

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Some regions may not vote until 2017 Online voting: An IT expert demonstrates in Jakarta on Wednesday e-voting technology to be used in this December’s simultaneous regional elections. Developed by the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the application is intended to minimize vote rigging in all polling stages.(JP/DON) (BPPT), the application is intended to minimize vote rigging in all polling stages.(JP/DON)

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span class="inline inline-center">Online voting: An IT expert demonstrates in Jakarta on Wednesday e-voting technology to be used in this December'€™s simultaneous regional elections. Developed by the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the application is intended to minimize vote rigging in all polling stages.(JP/DON)

The government and the General Elections Commission (KPU) have agreed that in regions where only one ticket is contesting the Dec. 9 elections, the poll could be delayed until Feb. 2017.

Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said there was still time for political parties to nominate their candidates before the end of the 10-day extended registration period in the 12 electoral districts with only one ticket running so far.

'€œI'€™m optimistic that during this second round of registrations, all 12 [districts] will meet their quota,'€ Tjahjo told reporters at the vice presidential office on Wednesday.

Tjahjo expressed his optimism when meeting with a number of political party leaders who reported on inter-party lobbying around the nomination of candidates.

He urged political parties to settle their differences and jointly nominate candidates before the deadline expired.

According to technical revisions stipulated in the recently passed KPU Regulation No. 12/2015, if, at the end of the extended registration period, there are fewer than two tickets standing for the election, the Regional General Election Commission (KPUD) can allow three more days of registration.

If no party was to register candidates during that period, the election would be postponed until the next election period, which will be in early 2017.

'€œIf two candidate pairings emerge in all 12 regions, the problem is solved. [If not], we'€™ll move [their elections] to 2017. But then there will be a sudden need to issue a Perppu [a regulation in lieu of law]'€ Tjahjo said.

Even if none of the parties decided to nominate candidates, Tjahjo said two pairs of independent candidates would be enough to have a legitimate election.

Based on KPU preliminary data, not a single pair of candidates has registered in East Bolaang Mongondow regency in North Sulawesi, while only one pair has registered in each of 10 regencies and four municipalities.

The 10 regencies are Asahan in North Sumatra, Serang in Banten, Tasikmalaya in West Java, Purbalingga in Central Java, Blitar and Pacitan in East Java, Timur Tengah Utara in East Nusa Tenggara, South Minahasa in North Sulawesi and South Sorong and Pegunungan Arfak, both in West Papua.

The four municipalities are Mataram in West Nusa Tenggara, Samarinda in East Kalimantan, Surabaya in East Java and Tidore Island in North Maluku.

Commenting on the possibility of political parties striking a deal with rival parties to nominate shadow candidates designed only to allow polling to take place this year, KPU commissioner Ferry Kurnia Rizkiyansyah said that the KPU had no authority to control how political parties or party coalitions choose their candidates.

'€œOur responsibility is to ensure that all candidates meet all requirements. It is up to them to join with whoever they want,'€ Ferry told reporters on Wednesday.

Separately, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that it was only natural to have only one ticket in certain regions.

'€œIt is possible in some regions that no parties want to nominate their candidates as the incumbent is too strong to beat. Rather than wasting money, they may choose not to join the election,'€ Kalla told reporters.

One such case is the domination of Surabaya'€™s popular mayor, Tri Rismaharini, nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and currently unopposed. (rbk)

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