The General Elections Commission (KPU) is considering extending the registration period for regional head candidates if a region’s poll body only approves one applicant by the last day of the period.

The extension would be in line with a KPU regulation enacted on Sunday on rules and processes for regional head candidates. 

“Our regional office will announce the extension, which will last for three days [after the last official day of registration],” KPU commissioner Idham Holik said on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara.

Registration is open to candidates backed by political parties from Tuesday to Thursday. The KPU regional offices are accepting applications from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first two days, but will keep their door open until midnight on the last day.

Article 135 of the KPU regulation stipulates that the commission can extend the registration period if a regional office has accepted only one application within the three-day registration period and there are still political parties that have met the nomination threshold that have yet to register a candidate.

Political parties whose candidates have already registered with the KPU cannot change their support to another candidate unless the parties that have not registered cannot meet the nomination threshold, according to the regulation.

Independent candidates who meet the candidacy requirements but have not registered with the KPU can also submit their applications during the extension.

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