Study finds voter confusion over ballots

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.