While many people have updated their voter registration details to allow them to cast ballots in the area where they now live, work or study, others have been unable to do so either because of red tape, a lack of information or simply ignorance.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) had allowed voters to apply to vote at polling stations other than where they are registered until Jan. 15, about a month before polling day. The applicants had to submit a copy of their identity card and proof of valid reason for changing their place of voting, such as a letter of employment or student identification, to the subdistrict polling committees or municipal or regency KPU offices where they intended to vote.

Hanadia Yurista, 31, a registered resident of Semarang in Central Java but who lives and works in Jakarta, had her request to vote in the capital declined last week, only to find out that she was not even listed on the national voter roll.

“When I asked KPU Jakarta how this could happen, they did not give me a clear answer and instead said that I was not there when they were gathering data [for the voter list],” she said.

The poll body, Hanadia said, would put her name on the special electoral roll (DPK), which contains people who have identity cards and are eligible to vote but who are not registered on the regular voter list. This means she has to vote in Semarang, her home address according to her identity card.

Hanadia said the national KPU office should build a “more integrated system” to allow people to exercise their right to vote easily.

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