An over four percent deficit was observed in the acquisition of seats in the Surabaya City DPRD, dropping to four seats
Surabaya (ANTARA) - The Democratic Party was able to secure merely four seats in the Regional Legislative Assembly (DPRD) of Surabaya City, East Java, during the 2019 Election, plummeting from six seats bagged in the 2014 Election.

SCG Research and Consulting Director Didik Prasetiyono remarked in Surabaya on Thursday that during the 2014 election, the Democrats had ranked among the top three in Surabaya City, securing 12.18 percent of the votes, and had succeeded in converting the figure to six seats in the Surabaya City DPRD.

"An over four percent deficit was observed in the acquisition of seats in the Surabaya City DPRD, dropping to four seats," he pointed out.

Prasetiyono has attributed several factors to this drop, with the first being the list of candidates by the Democratic Party not being adept enough in garnering votes. He further pointed to irregular procurement of votes by the legislative candidates and only the main candidates being the focus.

"Hence, cumulatively, when calculated through the Saint Lague method does not produce seats," he stated.

Secondly, he explained that nationwide, this simultaneous election had piqued the interest of voters to follow the issue of the Presidential Election (Pilpres), but the Democrats appeared to not be taking cognizance of the issue of the Presidential Election. This is believed to have swayed the voters' final choice.

"Jokowi-Amin won over 70 percent of the votes in Surabaya City. The party's position in the presidential election will significantly ascertain the choice of voters," he noted.

In the meantime, Democratic candidate Mochamad Machmud, who bagged the highest number of votes in the electoral district 5, remarked that with the Sainte Lague method of vote counting, the Democratic Party had witnessed a decline in the number of secured seats, despite the vote being large.

The Democratic Party and Democratic candidates for District 1 got 16,193 votes; District 2 garnered 18,771 votes; District Election 3, 22,525 votes; District Election 4, 20,587 votes; and District Election 5, 41,707 votes, with the total acquisition reaching 119,783 votes.

Candidates who are certain to qualify comprise:

1. Elok Cahyani (Electoral District 2) received 3,081 votes
2. Herlina Harsono Njoto (Electoral District 3) received 7,535 votes
3. Ratih Retnowati (Electoral District 4) received 5,767 votes
4. Mochamad Machmud (Electoral District 5) received 19,327 votes

EDITED BY INE

Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019