Covid-19 Keeps Pace with 2020 Regional Elections

A number of candidates contesting the 2020 regional elections (Pilkada) have tested positive for Covid-19 during the registration stage.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

A crowd of supporters bearing campaign flags surround the South Kalimantan governor and deputy governor candidates, Denny Indrayana and Difriadi Darjat (center, wearing garlands), as the group heads en masse for the pair to register at the South Kalimantan General Elections Commission (KPU) on Saturday (5/9/2020) in Banjarmasin. Using the moniker “H2D” for Haji Denny-Difriadi, the candidates have the backing of three political parties in the 2020 regional elections.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The fears raised by civil society organizations several months ago that the 2020 regional elections will accelerate and spread Covid-19 further have now proven true. The government and election administrators are encouraged to take serious actions in preparing a variety of mitigation measures by strengthening both rules and sanctions, including determining the points at which the stages of the regional elections must be postponed due to continued noncompliance with the Covid-19 health protocol and possible mushrooming of infection clusters at electoral events.

During the three-day candidate registration stage of the 2020 regional elections, held from 4-6 Sept. in 270 regions, some candidate pairs were seen accompanied by crowds of supporters, even a public procession, as they headed to register at their local election office. The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) recorded 243 health protocol violations during the candidate registration.