Study finds voter confusion over ballots

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Invalid ballot papers should be a cause for concern after a survey revealed that less than 40 percent of respondents knew how to cast their ballots.

The latest survey conducted by the Institute for Social and Economic Research, Education and Information (LP3ES) on 5,592 respondents from 12 provinces revealed that only 39 percent of them said they would punch one political party symbol and the name of one legislative aspirant on the ballot paper as required by Election Law.

The survey, aimed at promoting honest and fair elections, also found that 17 percent of the respondents said they would punch the symbol of a party only, meaning they would trust the party to choose its representatives in the legislative bodies. Under the Election Law casting a vote by punching the party symbol is also acceptable.

Another proof of voters' lack of knowledge was the finding that 2 percent of the respondents said they would only punch the name of the legislative aspirant, which is invalid.

"Based on the findings the General Elections KPU must disseminate information to voters about the correct way to punch the ballot paper more intensively," LP3ES senior researcher Rustam Ibrahim said.

The survey was conducted in North Sumatra, Bengkulu, Jakarta, Banten, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo and Papua from Feb. 16 to Feb. 19.

The survey also found that 27 percent of respondents did not know that they had been registered as eligible voters.

It was also found that 4 percent of respondents were either listed at fictional addresses or were serving prison sentences, with the highest number in this category staying in Jakarta.

The Director of the National Democratic Institute in Indonesia Paul Rowland said the next three weeks were crucial to increase voters' awareness of election regulations, particularly how to punch properly.

"There will be political party campaigns and other campaigns conducted by the General Elections Commission (KPU) and non- governmental organizations. They may educate voters," he said.

Previously the International Foundation for Election System (IFES) and the Polling Center found in their survey that 53 percent of respondents did not know the date of the election, 28 percent had no idea, 14 percent gave the wrong answer and 11 percent knew there would be an election but did not know when.

Indonesia will hold the legislative election on April 5 and direct presidential election on July 5.

Observers have blamed the public's lack of knowledge on the KPU.