Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The level of golput1 in the first round of the presidential elections was higher in comparison with the legislative elections. In comparison with international standards however, the level of golput in Indonesia is still small.

This was explained to journalists at the Hotel Hilton on Jalan Sudirman in Jakarta by Ramlan Surbakti the deputy chairperson of the National Election Commission on Saturday July 24.

“During the legislative elections voter participation reached 84 per cent. However during the first round of the presidential elections this fell to 70 per cent. This can be seen from the number of people who came to polling stations, an average of around 20 per cent of voters did not turn up”, said Surbakti.

Nevertheless, compared to international standards the level of golput in Indonesia is relatively small. In countries which have more advanced democratic systems, the level of participation in elections is only around 60 per cent. “We can’t force people to go to polling stations can we. If they decide not to vote, yeah well that’s their right”, explained Surbakti.

Nevertheless, Surbakti hopes that the drop in the level of participation will not reoccur in the second round of the presidential elections and he is asking people to maintain their enthusiasm and make use of their right to vote.

“To the supporters of presidential candidates who did not get though to the second round, don’t fail to use your right to vote. This represents a test of voters’ levels of maturity. If their champion looses they can choose the [next] best second or third [choice]”, said Surbakti.

Of the 14 provinces where votes have already been recaptulated, the highest recorded level of golput was in Banten in Western Java where those who did not use their right to vote reached 1,163,950 voters. The total number of recorded voters in Banten is 4,589,108 people.

“In second position (golput) is Riau [North Sumatra] with a total of 774,420 people. The remainder is around 100 to 500 thousand people per province”, revealed Surbakti.(djo)

Notes:

1. Golongan Putih, White Movement, championed by people such as the outspoken academic Arif Budiman, the term first emerged as a campaign by students in the 1971 elections and derives its name from marking the white section of the ballot paper rather than a party symbol or candidate’s picture thereby making the vote invalid. In recent years the term has broadened to include not just intentionally casting an invalid vote but also vote abstention. Under new electoral laws introduced in 2003, golput, defacing a ballot paper or simply not voting is no longer an electoral offence although publicly encouraging others to do so remains punishable under law.

[Translated by James Balowski.]