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Quick count shows blank box wins, setting up Makassar mayoral election in 2020
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A volunteer shows ballots for the 2018 Makassar mayoral election on June 27. (ANTARA/Darwin Fatir)
Q
uick counts by numerous pollsters have shown that a majority have voted for a blank box in the Makassar mayoral election, leaving behind sole candidate pair Munafri Arifuddin-Andi Rachmatika Dewi.
The Celebes Research Center (CRC) released provisional results showing that the blank box secured more of the vote than the sole ticket in the mayoral election.
Pollsters Indonesia Voice Network (JSI) and Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) recorded similar results, kompas.com reported.
The blank box victory was immediately celebrated by outgoing Makassar Mayor Ramadhan "Danny" Pomanto, who had been disqualified from race, and his supporters on Wednesday.
Danny, who was previously registered as an independent candidate, was officially disqualified by the Makassar General Elections Commission (KPU Makassar) after his opponent Munafri, who is backed by 10 political parties, alleged that he had abused his power as mayor to pressure voters into submitting their ID cards, resulting in a blank box replacing Danny's bid.
"Makassar has shaped history as a single ticket is losing to a blank box," Danny said as quoted by kompas.com.
Munafri's running mate Andi said the quick count results could not be used as a reference since pollsters mainly used sampling methods. "Let's wait for the KPU result."
KPU Makassar head Syarief Amir said that if the official count showed the sole ticket lost, the KPU would hold another election, not a revote, in 2020.
"The calculations are still taking place. If the result shows that the blank box wins, we'll hold another election in 2020," he said. (stu/ipa)
