Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Discusses E-Voting Implementation for 2029 Elections: Successfully Tested in Village Elections, Cost-Effective and Problem-Free

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, stated that the implementation of a national digital election system should not merely be viewed as an effort to lighten the workload of field officers through the modernisation of the voting process (e-voting).

According to him, the digital transformation of elections must be studied comprehensively and cautiously to ensure that transparency and accountability remain the priorities at every stage of democracy. “We must not simply exchange old risks for new ones. We also have to face cyber attacks, authentication failures, insider threats, foreign interference, and so on,” said Bima, as quoted from a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Bima shared these remarks during the “Digital Democracy Conference: Ensuring Technological Justice in Electoral Democracy” held in Jakarta on Monday, 31 August 2026.

Bima mentioned that the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Directorate General of Village Government Development, has already conducted several trials of e-voting systems in Village Head Elections (Pilkades). “There were no problems and it was inexpensive. It did not even require the Village Budget (APBDes). Tabulation counting can also be performed quickly and accurately. Human error due to fatigue is eliminated. Furthermore, in the long term, it can reduce most logistical requirements, making it more practical,” he said.

Additionally, Bima noted that current technological developments have effectively brought Indonesia into a phase of digital democracy. This is evident from the increasing use of digital systems in various aspects supporting the administration of elections.

He expressed hope that all stakeholders could strengthen collaboration to develop a comprehensive roadmap for digital democracy. He believes such steps are essential to ensure that the digital transformation of elections can be implemented maturely, securely, and with integrity in preparation for the 2029 General Elections.

“Ultimately, moving towards the future of election digitalisation can only be achieved through collaboration and co-creation,” he concluded.