Jakarta-based pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia interviewed 1,200 respondents across Indonesia from July 13 to 16 on whether the elections should take place during the outbreak.

It found that 63.1 percent of respondents preferred the year-end polls be postponed, while 34.3 percent said the elections should occur as scheduled. The remaining 2.6 percent of respondents did not provide answers.

“Looking at these numbers, I think it will be a tough job for the government and the General Elections Commission [KPU] to garner public enthusiasm for the elections and improve public participation,” Indikator executive director Burhanudin Muhtadi said last week when announcing the results of the survey.

Another pollster, Charta Politika Indonesia, released last Wednesday the results of a similar public opinion survey involving 2,000 respondents from July 6 to 12 to see whether they agreed with the government’s decision to hold the elections despite the pandemic showing no signs of abating.

It found that 54.2 percent of respondents disagreed with the decision and only 31.8 percent of respondents agreed with it. Yet, half of those supporting the government’s decision also said they were unsure about whether they would show up at polling stations and cast their ballots.

“Our survey results indicate that the government and the KPU will have a difficult job increasing public participation in the coming elections. Otherwise, we will see a low turnout,” Charta Politika executive director Yunarto Wijaya said.

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