"February 10 has been chosen to be the voting day because it is a Saturday. More eligible voters will hopefully be able to go to the polling station (on that day)," spokesperson for PPLN-New York, Hendra Parley, told ANTARA on Wednesday.
The polling station will only be set up in New York as the majority of voters who are scheduled to cast their votes reside in the city, he said, adding that PPLN-New York serves registered voters in 13 states.
The states are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Therefore, PPLN-New York is offering two other voting options to voters. A total of 6,647 voters will cast their votes through postal services and 1,962 others through mobile voting boxes, he informed.
ANTARA reported earlier that the General Elections Commission (KPU) decided on July 2, 2023, that around 1,750,474 voters living abroad will cast their votes during the 2024 General Elections.
They will be served by 128 PPLNs, and will cast their votes at 828 polling stations through 1,580 mobile voting boxes and 651 postal services.
The KPU also announced that the presidential and parliamentary elections will be held simultaneously across Indonesia on February 14.
The commission has officially set a 75-day election campaign period for the three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates from November 28, 2023, to February 10, 2024.
All participating political parties and presidential contenders have pledged to conduct peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections.
As part of its efforts to make voters aware of the three candidate pairs' political pledges, the commission has decided to organize five rounds of debates ahead of the presidential election.
The first and second rounds were held on December 12 and December 22, 2023. The third round took place on January 7, 2024, while the fourth and fifth rounds will be held on January 21 and February 4, respectively.
The three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates contesting the presidential election are Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD.
Baswedan and Iskandar have been nominated with the support of the NasDem Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and Ummat Party.
Meanwhile, Subianto and Raka have the backing of the Gerindra Party and a coalition of parties, including Golkar, National Mandate Party (PAN), Democratic Party, and Gelora Party.
Pranowo and Mahfud have the support of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), United Development Party, Perindo Party, and Hanura Party.
Related news: Candidates failed showing how to respond to superpowers' rivalry: CSIS
Related news: VP Ma'ruf Amin calls on public to support, respect elected leaders
Translator: Shofi A, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
