Law Ministry Trials E-Voting for East Java Regional Office Head Selection

The Ministry of Law has begun testing a new approach to filling positions within the bureaucracy through the implementation of electronic voting (e-voting). The e-voting trial was conducted at the Ministry of Law’s Regional Office in East Java by Indonesian Minister of Law, Supratman Andi Agtas, involving employees casting votes for candidates deemed fit to lead. The e-voting trial is part of the Ministry of Law’s digital transformation and a step to strengthen transparency and the application of talent management in the appointment process. Secretary General of the Ministry of Law, Nico Afinta, stated that technological developments must be utilised to build faster, more precise, and accountable governance. He assessed that digitalisation is not only to improve services to the public but also targets internal services, including human resource management. To support HR management, the Ministry of Law has developed several digital systems, one of which is the Satria system. This system allows employees to submit data regarding competencies, achievements, and track records, which can become part of the talent management development process. Additionally, the Ministry of Law developed e-voting to map employees with potential and achievements so they can be considered for filling certain positions. Nico mentioned that the implementation of e-voting in East Java was the idea of Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas. East Java was chosen as the initial location to test the mechanism’s effectiveness before being applied in other regions. Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas emphasised that the application of e-voting is not intended to replace the existing bureaucratic system. According to him, the mechanism is a form of delegation of the minister’s authority by providing a space for employee participation in the process of determining candidates for office. He reminded that e-voting does not eliminate the structure, functions, duties, or authorities established within the government system. Supratman also confirmed that he had signed a Minister of Law Decree regarding the formation of a Talent Committee at the central and regional office levels. At the central level, the Talent Committee is chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Law. The committee is expected to ensure the appointment process is conducted transparently by considering the qualifications and track records of employees. Supratman said the e-voting exercise in Surabaya is an experimental step to find a new model for the appointment process within the government. He stated that if the trial succeeds, it could serve as a benchmark for future implementation across the entire Ministry of Law. While providing space for employees to choose, Supratman ensured that elected officials must still comply with all rules and regulations applicable to state civil apparatus. He added that the candidates participating in the e-voting process were not chosen arbitrarily; all have undergone an assessment process and met the qualifications within the talent management framework developed by the Ministry of Law. The e-voting trial at the Ministry of Law’s East Java Regional Office is expected to be a first step towards more participatory, transparent, competency-based bureaucratic governance that prioritises talent management.