The 2024 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada) are causing excitement across various regions. Political parties have submitted candidates in different areas to participate in this contest.
However, the General Elections Commission (KPU) recorded that 38 regions—37 regencies/cities and one province—have only a single candidate and are at risk of running against an empty ballot box if no other candidate pairs (passion) register by the KPU’s deadline.
Dr. Mada Sukmajati, Chair of the Undergraduate Program in Politics and Government at UGM’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), stated that a single candidate in 38 regions is unsurprising.
According to him, this number appears larger due to the simultaneous Pilkada elections across Indonesia. In fact, the number of single candidates in these Pilkada elections has increased over time. In 2015, there were three single candidates. This number rose to nine in 2017, 16 in 2018, and 25 regions had single candidates in the 2020 elections.
“The difference is, back then, Pilkada was not held simultaneously, so previous elections cannot be compared to the 2024 Pilkada, which is being held all at once,” Dr. Sukmajati told reporters on Monday (Sep. 23).
The Madiun-born academic explained that while the number may not have increased significantly, the context behind the emergence of these single candidates must be examined. For example, single candidates in mining regions could be an early indication of collusion among most political parties, potentially backed by financiers behind these candidates.
“If the candidate is elected, it could lead to compensations owed to the financiers, possibly related to mining or natural resource management in that region. Such areas are prone to political corruption, such as eased mining permits and issues regarding environmental sustainability and resource governance,” he said.
The second impact of Pilkada with a single candidate is the risk of mobilizing civil servants to ensure the candidate’s victory. Dr. Sukmajati, who also served as a panelist in the First Presidential Debate of 2024, mentioned that this risk is higher in regions where the single candidate is the incumbent.
He noted that bureaucratic politicization in this way contradicts the spirit of bureaucratic reform in Indonesia, jeopardizing principles of meritocracy, professionalism, and good governance.
Empty Ballot Campaign
Dr. Sukmajati also views the presence of a single candidate as a sign of political parties’ failure to fulfill their fundamental function of nominating their own cadres for Pilkada.
He commented that political parties are not ready and, as a result, are unable to provide an alternative for the public. Moreover, the candidate selection process does not involve the public, making political parties reluctant to make breakthroughs or open up spaces for public participation in their nomination processes.
Another contributing factor is transactional politics, where candidates must pay large sums to secure a nomination. This makes it increasingly difficult for the public to put forward their own candidates, especially in regions dominated by political dynasties.
“The dominance of incumbents and political dynasties in certain areas further contributes to the emergence of single candidates,” he added.
Nevertheless, the public can still actively participate in the 2024 Pilkada, particularly during the campaign and voting stages. For this reason, Dr. Sukmajati believes KPU has a crucial role in setting detailed regulations allowing the public to campaign for an empty ballot.
“The KPU has not explicitly regulated campaigning for an empty ballot. While this is not prohibited, there are also no clear guidelines if it is done. Therefore, I believe the KPU needs to address this issue immediately,” he added.
Dr. Sukmajati’s statement refers to how the KPU will regulate public campaigns for an empty ballot, given its status as equivalent to a single candidate. The principle of equal competition in elections requires regulations on empty ballot campaigning.
Moreover, according to Dr. Sukmajati, the public’s lack of involvement in the process may lead to resistance against the candidate political parties offer. An empty ballot has defeated a single candidate in Indonesia’s electoral history.
Dr. Sukmajati mentioned that there was a social movement to campaign for the empty ballot at that time, which is why regulations need to accommodate the public’s voice.
Thus, Dr. Sukmajati concluded that all parties must contribute to ensuring a fair Pilkada, with the public remaining the central focus. This is an opportunity for the people to elect leaders based on visions and missions that directly impact their daily lives, such as education and healthcare.
He cited the example of current conditions in the regencies and cities of Yogyakarta, which are closely tied to urban issues such as traffic congestion and flooding and issues affecting agricultural communities, such as the conversion of green land into housing, fertilizer problems, and farmer welfare.
Additionally, young people today are struggling to find decent housing and jobs.
“Now is the time for the public to take action to avoid losing this election opportunity, as political education is unlikely to come from the candidates or political parties themselves. Young people, in particular, can help educate others through digital or direct activism,” Dr. Sukmajati urged.
He stressed that the younger generation has a strategic role in promoting political education for voters, especially now that change in the regions is possible.
“These movements can be simple, starting from grassroots communities, family, and close friends, or by creating educational content about Pilkada on social media,” he concluded.
Author: Lazuardi
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif
Photo: Freepik