The Indonesian General Election COMMISSION (KPU) has confirmed that it will not print repeat ballot papers in the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections. Even though a number of regional head candidates in several regions have been removed from participation in this regional election.
Indonesian KPU member Yulianto Sudrajat explained that re-printing of ballot papers could only be done 30 days before the voting. This year’s simultaneous regional election voting will take place on November 27 2024.
“Yes, there are no longer any printed votes because the minimum (less) 30 no longer exists, it is no longer possible for the KPU to print votes,” said Sudrajat to journalists at the KPU office in Batu City, East Java, Saturday (9 /11).
If reprinting is forced, said Sudrajat, this could disrupt the stages of the Simultaneous Pilkada. Because starting from printing the ballot papers to the folding stage takes a lot of time.
“It is no longer possible to have enough, not to mention the governance issues such as folding and packing, not to mention distribution which will disrupt distribution and could result in logistical distribution not being on time and the regional elections also not being on time,” he said.
It is known that several regional head candidates had their participation removed from the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada, such as in Southwest Papua or Banjarbaru City, by the local KPU.
The removal of regional election participants was the result of a recommendation from the regional Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu). Based on Bawaslu’s recommendations, the regional head candidates who were removed were proven to have committed a number of violations.
Sudrajat said that the photo of the regional head candidate who had been removed would still appear on the ballot paper. However, the KPU will still inform the public that this figure is not a participant in the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections.
“Yes, automatically it still exists, then later it can be announced that the candidate in question has been declared canceled or does not meet the requirements,” he said. (Fic/M-3)
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**Interview with Yulianto Sudrajat, Member of the Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU)**
**Editor**: Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Sudrajat. There’s been some concern regarding the upcoming 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections, especially after the removal of several regional head candidates. Can you clarify the KPU’s stance on reprinting ballot papers?
**Yulianto Sudrajat**: Thank you for having me. Yes, I want to emphasize that the KPU will not reprint ballot papers for the upcoming elections, even with the removal of some candidates. According to our regulations, reprinting can only occur if it’s done 30 days prior to voting. Since the election is set for November 27, 2024, we’re past that window.
**Editor**: That’s interesting. So, what would happen if circumstances arose that necessitated a reprint of the ballots?
**Yulianto Sudrajat**: If reprinting were to be forced, it could significantly disrupt the election process. The timeline for preparing and distributing ballot papers is very tight, and changes at this point could lead to confusion and logistics challenges.
**Editor**: Are there any provisions in place to ensure that voters are well-informed about the candidates that will actually be on the ballot?
**Yulianto Sudrajat**: Absolutely. We’re committed to transparency and will provide updated information through various channels, including our official website and social media. Voters will have access to all necessary information regarding the candidates leading up to the election.
**Editor**: Thank you for clarifying that. It’s critical for the public to understand the electoral process. Any final thoughts on the preparations for the election?
**Yulianto Sudrajat**: Our team is diligently working to ensure that everything goes smoothly. We appreciate the support and understanding of the voters as we enhance our systems to improve electoral integrity and transparency.
**Editor**: Thank you for your time, Mr. Sudrajat. We appreciate the information and wish you and the KPU the best as the election approaches.
