Runoff electorate to fall: KPU

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) estimated on Friday the number of eligible voters for the Sept. 20 presidential runoff at 153.2 million, down from the over 155 million registered for the July 5 polls.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said the estimate comprised actual voter figures counted during the manual tally, plus first-time voters.

First-time voters are those who will turn 17 years old, get married or retire from civil servant, National Police or Indonesian Military (TNI) posts before Sept. 20. Ramlan estimated 700,00 first-time voters would turn up for the runoff.

The commission has decided not to reregister voters for the runoff, and first-time voters need only to notify their Subdistrict Polling Committee (PPS).

The manual vote-count that finished on July 26 revealed that the actual number of eligible voters was 152.5 million, which meant about three million "ghost voters" had cast ballots.

"The new figure will serve as the basis for the number of ballot papers we will print," Ramlan said.

The commission is expected to print over 156 million ballots for the runoff, plus 3.9 million, or 2.5 percent of the total, as reserves. Printing is to begin after the Constitutional Court delivers a verdict on electoral disputes, which is scheduled for Aug. 10 at the latest.

The commission expects to rehire most of the firms that printed ballot papers for the July 5 polls, and will announce the list of companies on Saturday.

Ballot distribution will start on Aug. 25, and is planned to reach all regions by Sept. 5.

Ramlan said despite the downsizing of potential voters, the commission would maintain the same number of polling stations -- 581,393 -- as the July polls.

The Elections Supervisory Committee reported earlier that a large number of polling stations had not been built because of the erroneous estimate in voter number by the commission, and alleged that local poll organizers had misused funding for the polling stations.

The KPU is considering closing the polls at 11 a.m. on Sept. 20, as voters will be choosing only one of two candidates. However, polling stations in remote areas will be allowed to remain open until 1 p.m., Ramlan said.

As with previous election days, the government is likely to declare Sept. 20 a national holiday.