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9 regions with sole candidates: Are any of the ‘blank boxes’ winning?

Nine regions saw candidates run uncontested in the simultaneous elections on Wednesday. Here are the results based on the real vote-count by the General Elections Commission (KPU) as of Thursday afternoon.

Bagus BT. Saragih (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, February 16, 2017

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9 regions with sole candidates: Are any of the ‘blank boxes’ winning? An election official demonstrates a perforation of a ballot with empty box in Pati regency, Central Java, on Jan. 9. Pati is one of 11 regencies and cities across Indonesia that only have sole candidates in the upcoming Feb. 15 simultaneous elections. (Antara/Yusuf Nugroho)

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n 2015 it was stipulated that a regional election can go ahead even if there is only one candidate declared eligible to run. In such a case, voters who reject the sole candidate can put their votes in a blank box on the ballot.

During the country’s first ever simultaneous elections in 2015, there were three unopposed tickets in regency elections in Blitar, East Java; North Timor Tengah, East Nusa Tenggara; and Tasikmalaya, West Java.

All three, who were incumbent candidates, won the races with big margins despite low voter turnouts. Analysts said residents in the respective regions were insufficiently educated about unopposed elections.

This year, nine regions saw candidates run uncontested in the simultaneous elections on Wednesday.

Here are the results based on the real vote-count by the General Elections Commission (KPU) as of Thursday afternoon:

 

1. Buton regency, Southeast Sulawesi

SAMSU UMAR ABDUL SAMIUN - LA BAKRY (incumbent regent and deputy regent): 55.08 percent

BLANK BOX: 44.92 percent

Entries from polling stations: 100 percent

Voter turnout: 71.5 percent

Note: Samsu is a corruption suspect currently detained by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)

Buton suspended regent and graft suspect Samsu Umar Abdul Saimun (center) is greeted by his supporters after a questioning session at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta, on Jan. 26.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan)

 

2. Central Maluku regency, Maluku

TUASIKAL ABUA - MARTLATU L. LELEURY (incumbent regent and deputy regent): 68.21%

BLANK BOX: 31.79 percent

Entries from polling stations: 16 percent

Voter turnout: 67 percent

 

3. Jayapura city, Papua

BENHUR TOMI MANO (incumbent mayor) – RUSTAN SARU: 85.26 percent

BLANK BOX: 14.74 percent

Entries from polling stations: 17 percent

Voter turnout: 55.6 percent

Local residents sort and fold ballot papers for the regional head election in Jayapura, Papua, scheduled for Feb.15.(JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)

 

4. Landak regency, West Kalimantan

KAROLIN MARGRET NATASA – HERCULANUS HERIADI (incumbent deputy regent): 96.18 percent

BLANK BOX: 3.82 percent

Entries from polling stations: 78 percent

Voter turnout: 92.6 percent

Landak regental candidate Karolin Margret Natasa.(Courtesy of karolin.id/File)

 

5. West Tulang Bawang regency, Lampung

UMAR AHMAD – FAUZI HASAN (incumbent regent and deputy regent): 96.75 percent

BLANK BOX: 3.25 percent

Entries from polling stations: 100 percent

Voter turnout: 88.4 percent

 

6. Pati regency, Central Java

HARYANTO (incumbent regent) - SAIFUL ARIFIN : 74.52 percent

BLANK BOX: 25.48 percent

Entries from polling stations: 100 percent

Voter turnout: 68.7 percent

Dozens of supporters of the Alliance to Safeguard Democracy in Pati Election attend a recent rally to call on voters to vote the blank box in the Pati regental election, which offers only one candidate pair, Haryanto-Saiful Arifin.(JP/Suherdjoko)

 

7. Tambrauw regency, West Papua

GABRIEL ASEM (incumbent regent) - MESAK METUSALA YEKWAM

As of Thursday afternoon, no data entry has been recorded by the KPU.

 

8. Tebing Tinggi city, North Sumatra

UMAR ZUNAIDI HASIBUAN – OKI DONI SIREGAR (incumbent mayor and deputy mayor): 71.39 percent

BLANK BOX: 28.61 percent

Entries from polling stations: 100 percent

Voter turnout: 55.8 percent

 

9. Sorong city, West Papua

LAMBERTHUS JITMAU (incumbent mayor) – PAHIMA ISKANDAR: 84.69 percent

BLANK BOX: 15.31 percent

Entries from polling stations: 0.5 percent

Voter turnout: 94 percent

A local resident looks at samples of ballots displayed during a regional election simulation event in Sorong, West Papua, on Nov.12.(Antara/Olha Mulalinda)

 

Source: KPU

 

(Read also: Acehnese show enthusiasm in 21 elections across province)

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