KPU launches computerized tabulation
KPU launches computerized tabulation
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) launched on Sunday the first ever computerized tabulation of legislative elections here, with the first preliminary results of the polls in major cities expected to appear at 8 p.m. on Monday.
KPU member Chusnul Mar'iyah said the ballot count would be updated every hour.
"We expect to announce the initial results from major cities like Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan by 8 p.m. on Monday as they have the necessary technology to do this," Chusnul told a press conference.
Balloting is slated to start at 7 a.m. and close at 1 p.m. in all polling stations across the country, except for some areas where the elections look certain to be delayed.
"Each polling station then submits the data on the results of the count to the subdistrict election commission, which will then compile all the data and forward it to Jakarta," Chusnul said.
She said that for data collection purposes, computers had been installed in 5,400 out of the 5,552 subdistricts across the country.
Each subdistrict elections commission has two computers installed for the count, except for those in Jakarta, where each local commission has between seven and nine computers.
Over 150 subdistrict election commissions will not be using computerized tabulation as electricity or telephone lines are not available in those areas to support the system.
KPU information and technology expert Basuki Suhardiman said the computerized tabulation would be completed on April 19.
Despite the computerized tabulation, the results of the manual ballot count would still be considered the official result of the polls.
In the 1999 election, the official results came after 68 days. This year, the KPU expects to be able to announce the results on April 25 -- 20 days after polling day.
Basuki said the KPU electronic data processors were able to receive data from 700 subdistricts at the same time, but this could be increased to 1,000 subdistricts if necessary.
He further said state telecommunications firm PT Telkom had given assurances that the lines would be free from disruption during the tabulation process.
To protect the system, Basuki said his team had put several security measures in place to thwart hackers and other technical problems.
A help desk has been opened at the Borobudur Hotel in Central Jakarta, and will be staffed 24 hours per day.