Regulation Needed to Clarify Voting Method

VIVAnews – The Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) supports the government’s plan to issue a regulation in lieu of law (Perpu) to legalize marking the ballot twice. According to Cetro, the regulation will minimize errors during voting.

According to Executive Director of Cetro, Hadar Nafis Gumay, the issue of marking the ballot twice came about during the 2004 elections. The voters were allowed to make two marks on the ballot, one on the party’s symbol and one on the candidate’s name. “So if we assume that people assumed that way in 2004, then in the 2009 elections, people may do the same,” he said in a conversation with VIVAnews, Tuesday, Dec. 30.

Meanwhile the current law only specifies making one mark. “The Law on Elections stipulates marking the ballot once, not twice or three times. Therefore, a Perpu needs to be issued,” said Gumay.

Gumay urges the government to issue the perpu as soon as possible. “Don’t take too long, because the General Elections Commission (KPU) has to immediately amend its old regulation,” he said. According to KPU Regulation no. 35 the ballot can only be marked once, either on the party’s symbol or the candidate’s name.

Translated by: Ramona Sofianne Dewi