Only 14 Percent Voters Want Closed-List Proportional System

Out of total four hundred respondents of a survey conducted by Polling Center, only 14 percent of the respondents who want to use closed-list proportional system in election. 47 percent of respondents want to vote for independent candidate, and 39 percent of them are willing to vote for candidate from political parties. The result of the survey shows that 86 percent of voters prefer open-list proportional election system.

“Majority of respondents say that they prefer to vote for candidate instead of political party because they think it is easier for them to demand the realization of campaign promises to candidate, not to political party. Meanwhile, respondents who prefer the closed-list system say they believe political party will choose the best candidate within their organization,” says a researcher from Polling Center, Henny Susilawati, in Jakarta (03/16).

A researcher from the Center for Constitutional Studies (Pusako) of Andalas University, Khaerul Fahmi, says the result of the survey confirms many election experts’ prediction that majority of voters prefer open-list system. Voters, much like many experts, are still having a hard time to trust political parties that they will choose the best candidate.

“That is why we need to maintain the open-list system. We admit this system contains many weaknesses. But the solution is not to change the system entirely,” says Khaerul.