In one example, Elfianah, who is running for regent of Mesuji, Lampung, against three other candidates, has promised heavenly paradise to people who vote for her in the Nov. 27 election, as they will have supported her plan to take care of orphans in the regency, which has suffered bloody agrarian conflicts in the past.

Ita Triwibawati, who is running for regent of Nganjuk, East Java, raised eyebrows when, in an election debate on Oct. 16, she presented a strategy to keep the prices of agricultural products stable.

Ita, the wife of a two-time Nganjuk regent, said she would create "new products", such as by "turning rice plants into milled rice and turning shallots into fried shallots". She did not explain what was new about the idea. Her campaign team said she was nervous and had gone off-script, despite serious preparations.

Closer to Jakarta, Irvansyah Asmat, who is running for deputy regent of Tangerang, Banten, made a blunder in a debate earlier last month. Irvansyah, a former House of Representatives lawmaker, said he would "raise inflation by boosting the micro and macro economy". He was responding to a question from rival candidate Maesyal Rasyid about how to help the regency achieve financial independence.

Perhaps these candidates were just nervous or were simply not ready for the debates. Or maybe they did not care about policy proposals but only intended to impress voters.

Regardless of the reasons, the disappointing performances of some regional head candidates indicate the failure of political parties not only to vet and nominate capable figures but also to develop a merit-based system to produce party members with the skills to hold public office responsibly.

Political parties tend to cut corners by selecting popular figures, members of political dynasties or their cronies, regardless of their competence, just to win elections.

In many cases, candidates have also attempted to entice voters with pork barrel promises and other material benefits, which will only engender corruption if the candidates take office. A study by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPU) in 2022 found candidates spent Rp 20 billion to Rp 30 billion to win a regent or mayor post and at least Rp 100 billion to win a gubernatorial seat.

We have also seen candidates play the religion card to win votes, even if it is by no means gender sensitive, which, unfortunately, sells in society where conservatism and patriarchy are deeply rooted.

This has happened even though the General Elections Commissions (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) have repeatedly warned candidates and campaign surrogates against exploiting religious or ethnic identity for electoral gain.

In a healthy democracy, political parties take responsibility for educating voters and encouraging them to participate in substantive discussions with candidates. Voters, meanwhile, have the right to choose capable candidates who offer policies that will improve their well-being.

This is particularly important given that regional head contenders across the country are expected to face off in either of the two final debates before voting day on Nov. 27.

The candidates are also gearing up for outdoor rallies before the end of the campaign season on Nov. 23, which will be followed by a three-day cooling-off period.

For the good of the nation and to help our democracy mature, candidates need to stop talking trash and taking voters for fools. They should instead educate voters by showing they deserve their support.