Gresik Regency Government Finalises 2026 Village Head Elections, Prepares E-Voting for Transparency

The Gresik Regency Government is finalising preparations for the 2026 Simultaneous Village Head Election (Pilkades). In Wave I, scheduled for November 2026, a total of 15 villages currently led by acting village heads will take part in the Pilkades. As part of efforts to improve transparency, accountability, and the quality of democracy at the village level, the Gresik Regency Government has begun socialising the implementation of an electronic voting (e-voting) system. The socialisation was held at the Putri Cempo Room, Gresik Regent’s Office, on Monday, 15 June 2026, attended by representatives from sub-districts and village governments. The event also featured a representative from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Andrari Grahitandaru, who presented the technical aspects of implementing e-voting in the Pilkades. Gresik Regency Secretary Achmad Washil Miftahul Rachman stated that the adoption of e-voting is part of efforts to modernise village democratic governance to be faster, more accurate, and transparent. “The idea of implementing e-voting arose because it is considered capable of accelerating the voting and counting process while increasing the accuracy and validity of election results,” he said. According to him, various potential errors that often occur in manual processes can also be minimised through a digital system. In 2024, said Washil, Wave I of the Pilkades will be held in 15 villages currently led by acting village heads. Meanwhile, there are a total of 283 villages in Gresik Regency that will eventually hold Pilkades. Previously, the vote counting process in elections often lasted until late at night and required enormous energy from organisers. With the e-voting system, election results can be known more quickly after the voting process ends. “If previously vote counting could last until the evening, even causing fatigue for the committee and officers, with e-voting the process can be carried out much faster and more efficiently,” he said. The implementation of e-voting, he continued, is also in line with the direction of government digitalisation policy, which is currently being promoted through the implementation of the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE). Therefore, digital transformation is not only applied to government administration services but also to the democratic process at the village level. Secretary Washil stated that implementing e-voting certainly requires thorough preparation, including in terms of budget and digital infrastructure. However, the benefits obtained are considered far greater than the challenges that must be faced. “In the future, there will certainly be various aspects that need to be prepared, including budget requirements and digital infrastructure. But the benefits are also large, ranging from process acceleration and implementation efficiency to increased public trust in election results,” he said. Additionally, the e-voting system is considered capable of supporting security and order during the Pilkades because the vote counting process no longer drags on. Thus, the potential for suspicion or disputes arising from the lengthy recapitulation process can be minimised. He expressed hope that the results obtained through this system will further strengthen the quality of democracy in Gresik Regency. “Through this socialisation, we also hope all participants can disseminate information about the mechanisms and benefits of e-voting to the public.” Meanwhile, Andrari Grahitandaru explained that there are various technical aspects to implementing e-voting, ranging from voter verification mechanisms and the use of smart cards to the electronic voting process and the security and audit system for election results. The e-voting system, he continued, is designed to maintain democratic principles while increasing the efficiency and accuracy of the election process. Voters first undergo identity verification using an e-KTP reader integrated with the Permanent Voter List (DPT) application. Once the data is declared valid, the voter receives a smart card used to access the electronic ballot in the voting booth. The voting mechanism is designed to be simple and easy to use for all levels of society. Voters simply select the photo of the village head candidate on the electronic device screen and confirm their choice. After the process is complete, the system will print an audit trail stored in an audit box as part of the oversight and accountability mechanism for election results. In addition to providing convenience for voters, the e-voting system allows vote counting results to be displayed directly after the voting process is closed. Thus, the recapitulation process can take place more quickly, accurately, and transparently. Andrari also noted that the prepared e-voting system implements several layers of security. Besides operating offline without being connected to the internet during the voting process, the system is equipped with voter identity verification mechanisms, data integrity protection, and audit and reconciliation of results to ensure every vote is recorded correctly and can be accounted for. The Head of the Gresik Regency Community and Village Empowerment Agency (PMD), Abu Hassan, then outlined the preparation stages currently being undertaken by the Gresik Regency Government together with BRIN to support the implementation of e-voting in the 2026 Pilkades. These stages include forming an implementation team, coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs, harmonising regulations, certifying technology, strengthening human resource capacity, and conducting simulations and system trials before implementation in the Pilkades. Through collaboration with BRIN, the Gresik Regency Government hopes the implementation of e-voting can proceed according to established technology and security standards, enabling it to become a pilot project.