Indonesia is in discussion with three countries, including France, over the return of several high-profile detainees and aims to transfer the prisoners by the end of December.

The projected outcome of Wednesday’s regional polls has cemented the dominance of President Prabowo Subianto’s big-tent electoral alliance, the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM), which was also behind the administration of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, after candidates backed by rival camps suffered upset defeats in a number of key battlegrounds.

In Jakarta, only 57 percent of registered voters voted during Wednesday's gubernatorial election, a trend also witnessed in other regions during this year's simultaneous regional elections, according to data from pollsters and poll bodies.

The families of the deceased poll workers will each receive Rp 36 million (US$2,272) in compensation, in addition to Rp 10 million for burial expenses. 

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chair, Megawati Soekarnoputri, says democracy in the country is “dying” as she claims to have received reports about the massive mobilization of regional leaders and security apparatuses during the recent regional head elections.

Disgraced antigraft body chair Firli Bahuri cited a lack of evidence found by police investigators in naming him a graft suspect, as the police investigation drags on.

High-profile detainees include a Philippine woman saved from execution and the remaining members of Australia's "Bali Nine", all convicted on drugs charges.

The likely victory of candidates backed by the ruling coalition in most strategic regions in this week's local elections is expected to solidify the power base that President Prabowo Subianto needs to implement his agenda over the next five years.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) said its provincial offices will announce the results of the gubernatorial elections by Dec. 15 at the latest, as election workers are still counting the votes through a tiered tabulation process.

More than 200 million voters cast their ballots on Wednesday for leaders in 37 provinces, 93 cities, and 415 districts. While the official results will be announced between Nov. 30 and Dec. 15, independent pollsters have released their election counts.

Many voters refrained from going to polling stations to cast votes for this year's simultaneous regional elections, with observers and election organizers mostly blaming disasters and political exhaustion as factors discouraging people from voting.

Quick counts indicate that regional head candidates backed by the governing coalition are on course to dominate most key battleground provinces in the country’s first nationwide simultaneous regional elections, solidifying support for President Prabowo Subianto to execute his programs over the next five years.

Despite the relatively peaceful situation, Listyo said security forces remained on high alert, especially during the critical vote-counting phase.

Central Java gubernatorial candidate Ahmad Luthfi and his running mate Taj Yasin Maimoen are likely to have beaten rivals Anika Perkasa and running mate Hendrar Prihadi in the province’s polls on Wednesday, according to preliminary results from pollsters.

The vote counting at polling stations is the first step in the lengthy and laborious vote-counting and tabulating process of election returns, with the process scheduled to be finished by Dec. 16, according to the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on the eventual winners of the regional elections to remain humble and for the losers to accept the results in good faith.

President Prabowo Subianto called on any eventual winners and losers of the simultaneous nationwide local elections to reconcile, after he cast his vote at a polling station near his private residence in Hambalang, West Java on Wednesday.

More than 200 million people will vote to choose dozens of governors and mayors, and 415 regents, with some candidates linked to ex-leader Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, vying for coveted positions seen as paths to higher office.

A recent string of extra-judicial executions by police officers has shed light on the institution’s failure to regulate firearm use among its personnel, prompting watchdogs to urge the institution to improve accountability in the use of lethal force.

Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time, and vote counting be ongoing until Dec. 16.

The Jakarta Police named 28 people, including 10 employees of the Communications and Digital Ministry, suspects in an investigation into an online gambling ring.

Indonesia will hold on Wednesday its first-ever nationwide simultaneous regional elections, the largest in the nation’s history, to elect local leaders, who will influence the power play at the national level over the next five years.

The sole judge of the South Jakarta District Court has rejected the pretrial motion filed by former trade minister Thomas Lembong, which challenged his arrest by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) late last month as a graft suspect in a sugar import project he authorized years ago.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah and two other officials from the provincial administration in a raid on Saturday as part of an extortion and illegal gratuities case related to funds for Rohidin’s reelection campaign.

Just days before the Nov. 27 regional elections, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named incumbent Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah and several other officials from the provincial administration suspects in a case of extortion and illegal gratuities allegedly used to fund Rohidin’s reelection campaign.

Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas told Reuters on Saturday that Indonesia had agreed “in principle” to hand the five prisoners over to Australia, although the details of the transfer were still being hashed out, as Indonesia also wanted some of its prisoners held in Australia to be repatriated in return.

As the nation enters the blackout period before the Nov. 27 voting day, officials have reassured that all the regions are ready to hold the largest-ever simultaneous regional polls, as final preparations are underway.

With little time left before the cooling-off period starts on Sunday, observers are calling on candidates and election organizers to push for peaceful elections to prevent politically fueled clashes that could cause even further democratic backsliding.

Vote-buying, political interference and a disregard for ethics in February’s general election exposed the need for reform in the country’s electoral system, which experts say would help ensure better quality and integrity for future polls.

The Elections Supervisory Agency’s (Bawaslu) decision to let President Prabowo Subianto go scot-free following his explicit endorsement of a Central Java gubernatorial candidate pair has stoked concerns that state partisanship might once again rear its head in the November regional head elections.