Yuli Tri Suwarni and Agus Maryono, Bandung/Purwokerto – The General Elections Commission (KPU) said there is the potential that many votes will rendered invalid if voters mark ballot papers more than once.
Endang Sulastri, from the KPU's Voters Education and Human Resource Development Affairs department said that, based on simulations conducted across the country, the highest level of such ballot errors was found in Banten, where more than 10 percent of valid votes had to be disqualified.
"Markings on two ballots by voters should have been understood as one ballot. This should have been the focus of attention rather than the issue of ticking or punching the ballots," she said in Bandung on Monday.
Endang added that during the transition period from punching to checking of ballots, the KPU had decided to accommodate any kind of marking, including punching, as valid, provided it was done once each in the appropriate locations.
Based on the simulations, Endang said the voting public was already familiar with the checking method set by the KPU. According to Endang, in Papua alone, where literacy is low, only 7 percent of voters still punched the ballots.
"We'll understand the Polling Station Committee (KPPS) members would find other marks during vote counts, such as crosses, dashes and punches, and we will regard them as valid. But this hasn't been familiarized. We see this as a form of legal umbrella so there won't be too many invalid votes. The people are used to it. Don't underestimate the common people," she said.
According to Endang, accepting the various vote markings does not mean the KPU breaches the law, because Article 153 of the Law No. 10/2008 on Elections states that election for members of the House of Representative, Regional Representative Council and President, is to be conducted by marking a ballot once.
Meanwhile in Banyumas, Central Java, two election institutions, the local KPUD and the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) are at loggerheads over deciding legitimate venues for political party campaigning. This has lead to confusion and anxiety among police and political parties.
The Banyumas KPUD allows all village halls for political campaigns, while the Panwaslu bans them in accordance to the law.
"I'm puzzled. Isn't the election law the same? Why is it implemented differently?" Executive Branch Council Secretary of the Banyuma branch of the National Awakening Party Banyuma Muhsonudin said.
"In Cilacap and Banjarnegara regencies, village halls are banned from campaigns, but they are allowed in Banyumas and Purbalingga. So, which one is right? Isn't there any reference from the headquarters?"
He said on Sunday that if election organizers failed to address the issue, it could spark conflict. "I urge the provincial KPU and Panwaslu to immediately tackle the issue at the four regencies so our party members can arrange our strategies and campaign schedules," Muhsonudin said.
The Banyumas KPUD recently issued a decree allowing village halls to be used for party campaigns. Despite strong protests from the local Panwaslu, as it violates the election law, the KPUD was resolute with its stance and even said it was ready to bring the matter to court.