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Ministry suggests music concerts to increase voter participation
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Home Ministry's Director General of Regional Autonomy Sumarsono (center), who is also the acting Jakarta governor, attends a meeting on 2017 regional election preparation at the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Central Jakarta on Feb. 7. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
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n an effort to increase voter participation, the Home Ministry has encouraged regional governments to set up music concerts during the simultaneous regional elections on Feb. 15 to attract people coming to polling stations to vote.
The ministry’s regional autonomy director general, Sumarsono, said on Tuesday the entertainment would not just woo voters to come to vote but also to make people feel welcomed throughout the election rather than perceiving it as an event that triggers conflict.
“We encourage [local governments] to set up performances before opening the election,” Sumarsono, who is also the acting Jakarta governor, said during a coordination meeting at the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Central Jakarta.
(Read also: Legendary band Slank to rock Ahok's campaign concert)
The KPU targets to have 77 percent voter participation from more than 41 million voters in 101 regional elections registered at the commission. According to the KPU data, voter participation has dropped in recent elections. During the 2014 national legislative elections, the commission recorded 75.11 percent of voter participation. It dropped to 71.31 percent during the presidential election in the same year and dropped again to only 69.14 percent in the 2015 elections in 269 regions. (evi)
