Indonesia’s Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has brought to light several concerns regarding the organization and vote counting of the 2024 elections, recommending specific measures be taken in 1,496 polling stations (TPS), an equivalent to 0.18 percent of the total 820,161 TPS across the country’s 38 provinces.
Lolly Suhenty, Coordinator of the Prevention, Public Participation, and Public Relations at Bawaslu, said that based on their conclusive findings, the agency is advising special actions, including the possibility of a revote (PSU) in 780 TPS, accounting for 0.09 percent of all TPS.
Additionally, there are recommendations for extended ballot counting (PSL) in 132 TPS and supplementary ballot counting (PSS) in 588 TPS.
“The implementation of PSU, PSL, and PSS will take place no later than 10 days after the election day,” Lolly said on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
According to Lolly, these recommendations aim to safeguard the purity of voters’ rights and the use of those rights at the TPS. They also serve to ensure the integrity of ballots and data at the polling stations during the 2024 elections.
“The recommendations from Bawaslu are based on the research and examination conducted by the Election Supervisors, meeting the conditions required for PSU as stipulated in Article 80 of PKPU No. 25/2023, and Articles 109 and 110 of PKPU No. 25/2023 regarding PSL and PSS conditions,” she said.
One of the major issues leading to the PSU recommendations is the accommodation of voters without electronic ID cards or Temporary ID Certificates. Additionally, cases were identified where voters were not registered in the Final Voters List (DPT) and Additional Voters List (DPTb), enabling them to cast votes at TPS. Other problems include voters with electronic IDs who voted outside their registered domicile and failed transfers of voting rights.
Further issues contributing to the recommendations were discrepancies in the distribution of ballots to DPTb voters, instances of multiple voting by individuals, security disturbances, natural disasters, and other disruptions that rendered the entire voting and counting process impossible.
Bawaslu’s recommendations have prompted rescheduling of elections in several districts and cities by the General Election Commission (KPU). Out of the 780 recommended PSUs, 542 TPS have been rescheduled, with 238 yet to be planned.
For the 132 recommended PSLs, 91 have been scheduled in 20 districts/cities across 14 provinces, leaving 41 pending. As for the 584 recommended PSS, 175 have been scheduled in 15 districts/cities across 9 provinces, while 409 remain unscheduled. Bawaslu urges election committees in districts and cities with pending schedules to act promptly, with reruns or supplementary elections to be conducted no later than February 24, 2024.
Additionally, the Polling Station Organizer Groups (KPPS) are required to notify registered voters in DPT, DPTb, and those listed in the DPK, at least one day before the rerun, using special notices labeled PSU/PSL/PSS. KPPS is also urged to inform local authorities, vertical institutional leaders, corporate leaders, or education institution heads, allowing voters the opportunity to exercise their voting rights.
