Jakarta – More than 69,000 registered voters in the capital of Aceh province, Banda Aceh, did not cast their votes in the April 9 regional elections (pilkada), according to an Aceh official on Friday.

Banda Aceh's Independent Election Commission (KIP) public relations chief, Munawar Syah, said that only 89,421 out of 158,454 registered and eligible voters went to polling booths to vote, Antara news agency reported.

Munawar said the reason for the low turnout was probably due to shifts in the timing and stages of the regional elections. Besides that, he said, a lot of people probably preferred to use their voting day holiday for recreation rather than voting.

"The rate of people leaving Banda Aceh [that day] was much higher compared to other areas," Munawar said. Munawar lamented the fact that many residents hadn't used their voting rights to choose a governor and a mayor for the 2012-2017 period.

Munawar said the KIP had tried to work together with the Banda Aceh administration, as well as with the media, to disseminate information as best they could in all regions. (png/swd)