For A (Really) Simultaneous General Elections in 2017

The stages plan and 2017 election schedule overshadow by nonsimultaneous election.  Delays in 2015 election is feared to be repeated.

The 2015 regional head election was in fact intended to be simultaneous however, it failed. Some areas had to reschedule the stage for the implementation of simultaneous polling held on December 9, 2015.

Hadar Nafis Gumay, General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner, considers three things that affected the delays: the absence of a budget, protracted dispute handling, and the absence of candidates who registered.

These three things then became General Election Commission (KPU) consideration in drafting the Commission Regulation regarding 2017 election stages, program and implementation schedule. KPU drafted article 8 which regulates the circumstances of the delay at implementation stage of the elections.

Provincial Election Commission (KPU Provinsi) will postpone the election adminisration if Sub-District Election Committee (PPK) and Village Voting Committee (PPS) have not provided election budget. Provincial Election Commission (KPU Provinsi) can delay the stages if there is a court decision delaying the stage, program, and schedule.

Meanwhile, the regulation on potential absence candidates to the registration deadline has not been set. Reopening of the registration has not been explicitly stated in the KPU draft.

The deadline for preparedness budget

Reflecting on the 2015 simultaneous regional elections, KPU insisted that local governments and legislators to give certainty on the the budget for a simultaneous election implementation stage. Therefore, KPU sets the deadline for the signing of Regional Loan and Grant Document (NPHD).

“The signing of NPHD is no later than 30 April 2016. If there is no available budget shown by NPHD documents, electoral stages can be postponed because of budget uncertainty,” said Ida Budhiati, KPU member, when explaining about General Election Commission Regulation (PKPU) draft in KPU office, Menteng, Central Jakarta (14/3).

Financing the elections through the Regional Budget (APBD) is reaping a number of problems. Studies conducted by Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency National Secretariat (Seknas Fitra), the financing election on regional budget is a problem because of limited fiscal space area. Financing the elections becomes a burden for the regional budget.

Secretary general of Seknas Fitra, Yenny Sutjipto explained that most of the regions have a dependency on equalization funds from the center. On average, 70 percent of the sources of financing the budget comes from the equalization funds. Components of equalization funds, such as the General Allocation Funds are allocated to personnel and Special Allocation Fund has been assigned to its post.

However, KPU is unwiling to propose financing the 2017 elections from the State Budget (APBN). Mechanisms and budget cycle-related at the center do not allow for the increasingly approaching 2017 election.

Certainty in handling  nomination disputes

Five regions canceled last elections held on December 9, 2015. Those five regions are Central Kalimantan, Pematangsiantar (North Sumatra), Simalungun (North Sumatra), Manado (North Sulawesi), and Fak-Fak regency (West Papua).

Election postponement of these five regions are the result of candidacy protracted dispute resolution processes. Titi Anggraini, Executive Director of the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), emphasized that the dispute in the 2017 election process should be designed more effectively so that 2015 election postponement might not happen.

“My proposal for PKPU election Stages are that stages should be able to maintain simultaneity spirit especially regarding the nomination dispute process. So that the spirit of simultaneous election to polling day is to be ensured”said Titi Anggraini, interviewed in different places (14/3).

KPU should be able to ensure other agencies involved in the settlement of disputes can keep the stages of the elections arranged by KPU are to be followed consistently even during the settlement  disputes by dispute resolution institutions.

In response to this, Ida Budhiati sees that dispute settlement is the realm of law. Therefore, PKPU is still valid based on The Law No. 8/2015 which regulates the handling of disputes from Commissioner/Election Oversight Committee to the Supreme Court which takes place within the period from 30 September 2016 to December 28, 2016.

“These steps are part of the consequences of the legislation. If it is too long, it is the House of Representatives role as lawmakers to provide more effective and efficient solution, “said Ida.

Ida, further, explained that KPU in 2015 election has adressed to the Supreme Court (MA) that there is provision in the rules of election time to support the simultaneous elections on December 9, 2015. Moreover, KPU also hopes that the publication of the decision is to follow the conditions on this schedule.

“In practice MA has its own policy, not just look at the stages arranged by KPU. There are laws relating to the judicial authority that can not refuse the request, “said Idha.

2017 election, consolidation toward simultaneous regional elections

In addition to simultaneous voting, simultanous inauguration of the elected candidate pair is also considered important. Heroik M. Pratt, a Perludem researcher, considers that the simultaneous inauguration is important as consolidation towards simultaneous regional elections. If inauguration is done simultaneously, the end of the term of office of elected regional heads are expected to be in uniformity in the next five years.

“It is important to reorganize our electoral unison towards simultaneous national and regional elections in the future,” said Heroik when met after the public test of PKPU Stages, Program, and Schedule (14/03).

In his opinion, there are two things of an ideal simultaneous elections design. First, simultaneous national elections that elect the president and members of Parliament are held on the same day. While regional elections which elect regional heads and legislators are also held on the same day. These two simultaneous elections are ideally conducted within 2-3 years.

2017 simultaneous regional elections are still considered to be simultaneous in schedule, they have not reached simultaneous elections designed towards effective governance. Consequential delays at different times inauguration will certainly disrupt the election cycle that is tried to build toward a simultaneous regional elections.

MAHARDDHIKA (translated by SL)