Jakarta – Low voter turnout remains a problem in Bekasi, West Java, with only 49.46 percent of eligible voters having gone to the polling stations in the last regional election in 2012.

"The numbers were even lower during the [West Java] gubernatorial election, with voter turnout of only 48 percent," said Bekasi General Elections Commission (KPU Bekasi) chairman Ucu Asmaransandi as quoted by tempo.co on Monday.

Bekasi trails behind Riau Islands with the second-lowest voter turnout, he said. "It's a challenge for us to increase voter turnout." Ucu hopes voter turnout increases to 70 percent in the next election set to be held next year.

Meanwhile, the commission's human resources division officer, Nurul Sumarheni, said KPU Bekasi projected approximately 1.8 million voters in next year's election.

She said KPU Bekasi was using social media in its effort to increase voter turnout. "For the first time voters in Bekasi comprise 10 percent of the final voter list." (dea/dmr)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/05/02/low-voter-turnout-haunts-bekasi.html