2020 simultaneous regional elections during the Covid-19 pandemic will be held on Wednesday (9/12). Some parties involved are necessary to implement the health protocols as anticipatory steps to minimize the potential for the Covid-19 transmission.
Research Center for Politics and Government (PolGov) at the Department of Politics and Government, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM, Wegik Prasetyo, revealed several Follow-up Plan (RTL) points regarding the implementation of elections on December 9, 2020. One of the points was about efforts to prevent Covid-19 transmission at the TPS by the KPU as the election organizer.
"The KPU as the election organizer will provide steps to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 at TPS by reducing the number of voters at each TPS from initially 800 people to become 500 people maximally, and designing the implementation of health protocols in detail," he explained in a written release on Monday (7 / 12).
He also added that this health protocol contains regular disinfectant spraying at the TPS, checking the voters' temperature, completing TPS equipment. Some equipment types are handwashing stations, plastic and medical gloves, trash bins, ink drops, masks and face shields, body temperature measuring devices, and wearing hazmat.
These points appeared as the result of recommendations from the KPU Goes to Campus Webinar entitled "Pilkada in the Middle of a Pandemic: Healthy TPS, Safe Voters" organized by the General Election Commission (KPU) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Universitas Gadjah Mada.
This webinar itself is the last sequence of socialization to various campuses in Yogyakarta. It aims to strengthen awareness and form steps for the students' involvement as well as all UGM academicians.
This webinar intended for 2020 regional elections, especially in DIY, can run properly and fully pay attention to health protocols.
Wegik continued, based on PKPU No. 6. 2020, voters need to carry out at least six health protocols in polling stations. They include keeping a safe distance and minimizing physical contact, washing hands, using masks that cover the nose to chin, checking body temperature, using disposable gloves from officers, and bringing stationery.
Besides the implementation aspect of the election, the post-election aspect is also considered important. There should be monitoring for actors who intensively attend polling venues such as KPPS and witnesses.
"KPU DIY can write a circular to KPPS and witnesses to do independent isolation and medical tests if necessary. Also, DIY KPU must have detailed data such as cell phone numbers and home addresses to help the tracing process," he explained.
Additionally, the DIY KPU must also maintain coordination with the local Covid-19 task force to conduct post-election monitoring for up to two weeks after that. The KPU, for instance, can inform a call center that can be contacted if there are symptoms of Covid-19 occurring after the election.
Not only election administrators or related authorities should have collective oversight of the health protocols implementation, but election participants and voters also need to pay attention to it.
Wegik explained that the Yogyakarta citizens that are known to have strong social resources and have been faced with various natural disasters could be optimized to encourage joint supervision to minimize the negative potential for the Covid-19 transmission as a non-natural disaster.
For instance, students can help to socialize collective supervision by plunging into polling stations (TPS) around the community.
"Students are also encouraged to initiate the giving of masks and hand sanitizer to people who have not implemented health protocols both before and after voting at the polling stations," he said.
Author: Gloria
Translator: Natasa A