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Perludem advises voters to check ballots before entering booth
People might be afraid to report any vote buying because of intimidation. They might also be reluctant due to the complex reporting process in Bawaslu.
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Indonesian voters wait for their turn to cast their vote on Feb. 11 at a polling station (TPS) located in the World Trade Center (WTC) in Kuala Lumpur. Indonesian citizens who reside in Malaysia cast their votes in the 2024 general election at overseas polling stations (TPSLN) across the neighboring country on Sunday.
Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) director Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati has advised voters to check their ballots before entering the voting booth on election day tomorrow.
"Before entering the booth, it's a good idea to check first to make sure the ballot paper is not damaged, and if it is damaged, you can return it and ask for a new one," she said on Monday.
She added that pre-checking was necessary to avoid precast ballots. If the voter only realizes the problem when already inside the booth, it might not be easy to ask for a new ballot.
According to General Elections Commission (KPU) Regulation No. 25/2023, voters can request replacements from the local poll administration (KPPS) chairperson for any damaged ballots or if they make a mistake when voting, the latter may be done once.
To avoid problems, the KPPS should show voters the condition of their ballot papers before entering the booth, ensuring that the KPPS chair has already signed the ballots before casting their votes.
Furthermore, Khoirunnisa reminded voters to report any suspected vote buying that occurs on voting day to the Elections Monitoring Agency (Bawaslu). Vote-buying tactics, such as a "dawn attack", which involves bribery on the morning before voting, are frequent occurrences during elections.
"Although it is difficult to prove vote buying, especially if it is in the form of cash," she said.
She also said people might be afraid to report any vote buying because of intimidation. They might also be reluctant due to the complex reporting process in Bawaslu.
