| Evan A. Laksmana and Hazelia Margaretha | Singapore, 12 August 2008 |
On July 23, East Java held its gubernatorial election. Voter turnout was 61.8 percent – leaving around 38.12 percent golongan putih or golput (non-voters). This high percentage of non-voters seems to be a recurring trend in local polls across Indonesia since 2005.
The People’s Voter Education Network (JPPR) recently noted thirteen gubernatorial elections – out of 26 between 2005 and 2008 – that saw high percentage of non-voters, including Central Java (45.25 percent), East Nusa Tenggara (40 percent), and North Sumatera (41 percent). Little wonder that the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) puts the average number of voter turnout in local elections at only around 60 percent.
Filed under: Politics
