As of Jan 14, some 21,096,549 ballot papers, or 62.55 percent of all ballot papers needed for the general elections, had been sorted and folded, according to Nelvia Gustina, a commissioner at the KPU-Jakarta Office.
The sorted and folded ballot papers comprise 7,282,613 for the election of the House of Representatives (DPR) members and 5,789,820 for the election of the Jakarta legislative body's members, she remarked.
The remaining 8,024,116 sorted and folded ballot papers are for the presidential election, she noted, adding that 12,631,303 ballot papers are being checked, sorted, and folded.
To help it achieve its target of having all ballot papers for the upcoming general elections checked, sorted, and folded on Jan 25, the KPU-Jakarta Office personnel recruited local residents.
The KPU-Jakarta Office has received 33,727,852 ballot papers for the DPR, DPRD, presidential, and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) elections, due to be held simultaneously on Feb 14, she remarked.
ANTARA reported earlier that the KPU had declared that a total of 204,807,222 voters were registered on the final voter list for the 2024 General Elections.
The KPU also announced that the presidential and parliamentary elections will be held simultaneously across Indonesia on February 14.
Related news: Ballot paper simplification aims for affordable, easier election: KPU
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: Three presidential candidate pairs approve 2024 election ballot design
Translator: Tri MA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
