Enthusiasm for Regional Elections Through Individual Routes is Low

As of May 7 2024 at 15.48 WIB, there are only two plans to submit support from individual candidate pairs.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Residents observe the vision and mission of the candidates for mayor and vice-mayor before casting their votes in the South Tangerang Mayoral Election at Polling Station 22, Lengkong Gudang Timur, Serpong, South Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday (9/12/2020).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The submission of support from independent candidates running for regional head elections is scheduled to begin on Wednesday (8/5/2024). However, so far, the enthusiasm from potential independent candidates for regional heads is still low.

The General Election Commission (KPU) assesses that the short interval between holding general elections (pemilu) and regional head elections (pilkada) is the cause low enthusiasm from individual candidates in the regional elections.

KPU member, Idham Holik, said in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5/2024) that information from various KPUs in the regions showed that the enthusiasm to become a potential independent candidate pair in the regional elections may not be similar to previous regional elections.

As of Tuesday (May 7, 2024) at 3:48 PM WIB, there have only been two plans for the submission of support from potential independent candidate pairs, which are in Murung Raya Regency, Central Kalimantan, and Kepulauan Sula Regency in North Maluku. As for plans for governorship registration through the independent path in Central Kalimantan and North Maluku, there are none.

Also read: Nomination Requirements Increasingly Tough, Individual Route in 2024 Pilkada Predicted to be Low in Interest

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Member of the General Election Commission, Idham Kholik, when opening the Open Plenary Meeting for the Recapitulation of Vote Counting Results Abroad in the 2024 General Elections in the KPU hall, Jakarta, on Monday (4/3/2024).

According to Idham, the low enthusiasm from potential individual candidate pairs (paslon) is caused by several factors. "Possibly, the time gap between the general election and regional elections is not too far or the gap is only 2.5 months, especially the schedule for submission of support for individual candidates is too short," he said.

Apart from that, the tight competition between individual candidate pairs and candidate pairs from political party lines makes registration from the independent route less attractive. "In previous regional elections, the pair of candidates who received the most votes or were the winners of the regional elections were pairs of candidates from political parties," he said.

Also read; Independent Pathway Registration Begins May 5 2024, KPU Will Complete Regulations Soon

According to him, so far the KPU has provided sufficient outreach and communication to the public regarding the stages and schedule for the regional elections. The KPU has also established help desk services in a number of regions to provide information to the public.

"Furthermore, for definite information, we are waiting for the schedule for submitting support for individual candidates on 8-12 May 2024 to be completed," said Idham.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

The atmosphere during the press conference of the campaign team supporting the independent candidate for Governor of DKI, Noer Fajriensyah, after consulting at the office of the Jakarta Provincial KPU, Jakarta, on Monday (5/6/2024).

Delivery of support

Based on the attachment to KPU Regulation Number 2 of 2024 regarding the Stages and Schedule of the 2024 Governor and Deputy Governor, Regent and Deputy Regent, as well as Mayor and Deputy Mayor Elections, the stages of the independent candidate election have started on Sunday (5/5/2024), which began with the announcement of support submission.

The submission of support requirements will be carried out from Wednesday (8/5/2024) to Sunday (12/5/2024). Administrative verification of the required documents for individual candidates will be held on 13-29 May 2024. Meanwhile, voting 2024 simultaneous regional elections in 37 provinces and 508 districts/cities is set to be held on 27 November 2024.

Also read: Pilkada remains in November, Minister of Home Affairs: There is talk of an inauguration not far from the presidential inauguration

Based on the General Election Commission's (KPU) Regulation No. 3 of 2017 regarding the Nomination of Candidates for Governor, Deputy Governor, Regent, Deputy Regent, and/or Mayor and Deputy Mayor Elections, independent candidates in the governor election with a total of 0-2 million eligible voters are required to obtain a minimum of 10 percent support from the total permanent voters list.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

The figures who will be contesting in the upcoming regional elections have started putting up their pictures as an effort to introduce themselves to the community, as seen in the Serpong area, South Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday (May 1, 2024).

For areas with a voter list of 2 million to 6 million, the minimum requirement of support is around 8.5 percent of the total number of eligible voters. Provinces with a total voter list of 6 million to 12 million people require independent candidates to have no less than 7.5 percent of the support.

Also read: To run for the DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election, individual candidates must have the support of 618,968 residents

Meanwhile, in areas with the highest electoral roll of over 12 million, independent candidates are required to obtain 6.5 percent of support. The amount of support must be distributed over more than 50 percent of the total regencies/cities in the respective province.

The verification process for the supporting documents of independent candidate pairs consists of verifying the minimum amount and distribution of support, administrative verification, and factual verification. If the number and distribution of support in the documents do not meet the minimum amount and distribution, the documents will be returned to the prospective candidate for improvement within the support document submission period.

KOMPAS/WISNU WIDIANTORO

Head of the Politics and Social Change Department at CSIS Arya Fernandes

The probability of winning is small

The Head of the Politics and Social Change Department of CSIS, Arya Fernandes, stated that there are several factors causing low interest in independent regional elections. This is due to the very small probability of winning for independent candidates, the large financing required to collect support, and the lack of long-term political support for independent candidates.

"Even if the registration requirements are simplified and an independent candidate is elected, he/she will still face difficulties in obtaining parliamentary support because they do not belong to any political party," said Arya.

That is what is considered to be the reason why popular figures also avoid registering for regional elections through independent paths. "Even though the purpose of this independent path is actually good, which is to provide an alternative mechanism for running outside of parties," said Arya.