"I am optimistic that the residents' participation in exercising their political right (to vote) in the 2024 General Elections will be significantly higher than the 2019 General Elections," Asy'ari stated here Friday.
Asy'ari, who visited Ambon, Maluku, along with other KPU RI commissioners and KPU RI Secretary Bernard Dermawan to attend the 2024 General Elections preparation coordination meeting, said that the presence of various parties that would encourage residents to vote had raised his optimism.
"There are a lot of parties that could move voters, from the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs, the political parties, candidates of national legislatures, as well as governor, district head, and mayor candidates and their running mate, which would encourage high turnout," he noted.
Asy'ari highlighted that voter turnout in the 2019 General Elections was 81.8 percent, surpassing the 77.5-percent voter turnout target by 4.3 percent.
Moreover, the 2020 Regional Elections also recorded a high 76-percent voter turnout despite the election being organized amid the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its activities restriction policies, he remarked.
"Our voter turnout in the 2022 simultaneous regional elections are among the highest even when compared with (the voter turnout) in the United States or South Korea," the KPU RI chairperson remarked.
The 2024 General Elections, expected to be held on February 14, will be a historical feat as Indonesia would experience for the first time simultaneous elections for all elected national and regional offices.
"This is the first time Indonesia will elect the president and vice president, national and regional legislature members, and regional heads in provinces, districts, and cities simultaneously. Hence, we are convinced that the residents' participation would be high because they will be enthused to vote," Asy'ari said.
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Translator: Jimmy Ayal, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
