Predominance of Uncontested Races Unstoppable
If such a trend remains until the General Elections Commission (KPU) names the victors of the regional elections, it may be concluded that the tendency of sole candidates winning elections has strengthened.
/https%3A%2F%2Fkompas.id%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F07%2F20180701_ENGLISH-PILKADA_D_web.jpg){kind=logo}
A voter wearing a Spiderman costume holds up his inked finger after casting his ballot on Wednesday (27/6/2018) in the regional elections at TPS 1 polling station in Gayam village, Sukoharjo district, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java. The costume was a way to invite the local people to vote for their regional head.
Dozens of sole candidates running in the 2020 regional elections will potentially secure an electoral victory. This creates widespread concern that in the future running as a sole candidate will be employed as a strategy to claim an easy win, which would tarnish democratic practices in the country.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Out of 25 sole candidates running in the 2020 regional elections, 24 have secured a large number of votes, far surpassing the votes for the “blank box”, a space on the ballot for voters who wish to reject sole candidates. If such a trend remains until the General Elections Commission (KPU) names the victors of the regional elections, it may be concluded that the tendency of sole candidates winning elections has strengthened. It is feared that this may lead to an increase in sole candidates in future regional elections, which would eventually erode democracy in Indonesia.