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KPU puts health as priority when recruiting poll workers
The General Elections Commission (KPU) requires volunteers applying to be poll administrators during the upcoming general election to go through medical checkups, following the death of hundreds of poll workers in the previous election in 2019.
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A poll worker (right) helps a woman put on a plastic glove before she casts her ballot at a polling station in Tapos, Depok, West Java, on Dec. 9, 2020. Poll workers enforced strict health protocols on voting day for the Depok mayoral election, requiring voters to wear gloves and face masks, among other precautions. JP/PJ Leo (JP/P.J. Leo)
The General Elections Commission (KPU) requires volunteers applying to be poll administrators during the upcoming general election to go through medical checkups, following the death of hundreds of poll workers in the previous election in 2019.
The poll body is recruiting until Dec. 20 over 5 million paid volunteers to work as local poll administrators (KPPS) in polling stations across the country in simultaneous presidential and legislative elections in February of next year.
Applicants are required to provide a letter from a community health center (Puskesmas), hospital or clinic stating that they are healthy and including their blood pressure reading, as well as blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They must also declare their health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension.
In the past, they were not required to undergo medical checkups or declare health problems.
The KPU has recently also urged local administrations “to help facilitate the medical checkups for poll workers in Puskesmas or other health facilities” in their regions, commissioner Betty Epsilon Idroos said on Friday, as reported by Antara.
The KPU has also limited the maximum age of poll station workers to 55 years for February’s elections, considering that most who died in the 2019 elections range from 50 to 70 years old.
The minimum age limit of 17 years old remains applicable this year, with the KPU targeting to recruit more university students.
