The survey, conducted in early August before the presidential candidates announced their running mates, polled around 1,200 residents in each of three provinces: West Java, Jakarta and Banten.

Although Jokowi’s electability ratings were higher than Prabowo’s in all three provinces, the President’s lead was smallest in West Java.

In both Jakarta and Banten, Jokowi had the support of well over 55 percent of respondents, while in West Java, Jokowi only had an electability rating of 49.5 percent compared to Prabowo’s 36.3 percent.

Jokowi’s approval ratings were also relatively low in the province at 67.5 percent, compared to 87.6 percent in Jakarta and 86.2 percent in Banten.

“While Jokowi leads in most regions in West Java, Prabowo leads in the Tasikmalaya area,” Alvara Research Center CEO Hasanuddin Ali said in a statement on Thursday. “And in the Bogor area, which is home to a significant portion of West Java voters, the margin between the two candidates is not too significant.”

With over 47 million residents, West Java is Indonesia’s most populous province, and, with a 97 percent Muslim population, also widely regarded as among the most religiously conservative in the country.

During the 2014 elections, West Java was one of the 10 provinces that Prabowo won, garnering 59.7 percent of the vote compared to Jokowi’s 40.22 percent. (swd)

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