An Analysis of Defeated Single Candidate of Indonesia’s Simultaneous Regional Elections 2018

Abstract

Regional election which was held on 2018 has some uniqueness. First, there were many single candidates who compete with empty ballot. Second, there were single candidates in several regions. Third, empty ballot won over single candidates. The last phenomenon is the most interesting to the public because in 2015 and 2017 regional election, all single candidates were won. In 2018, of the 16 regions that hold the election with a single candidate, there was one region whose sole candidate defeated by empty ballot which was candidate for city mayor election in Makassar. Therefore, this research analyzed several problems which are: (1) why single candidates failed in 2018 regional election against the empty ballot?(2) what kind of legal actions that can be taken to avoid the existence of a single candidate in the administration of the elections? To address those questions, the authors used empirical legal method which carried out by collecting data related to 2018 simultaneous regional election, especially data related to the single candidates. Next, the author analyzed the legal frameworks of Indonesia regional election. Based on the results of the research, it is concluded that: (1) political party does not always represent the voice of the people; (2) political party mechanism did not work properly. Some legal actions that can be taken to prevent the emergence of single candidates in regional election are first, lowering the vote support requirements of political parties or a combination of political parties to at least 10% of the total DPRD seats or 15% of the accumulated legal vote in the DPRD members in the region. Second, giving an opportunity to the leaders of political parties in the region to choose and determine the best candidates who will lead the region. Third, revising the requirements for individual candidate in order to gain more individual candidates.

Single candidates: Ensuring a path to victory in local elections

“…Initially, the City of Makassar local elections was in fact planned to involve two pairs of candidates, one of them supported by political parties and the other being independent. The candidate pair supported by political parties, in the organization process, was disqualified by the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), which was reaffirmed by a Supreme Court verdict, for having committed administrative violations that were structured, systematic, and massive (Febrian et al, 2019).…”

“…Figure 1 political parties, in the organization process, was disqualified by the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), which was reaffirmed by a Supreme Court verdict, for having committed administrative violations that were structured, systematic, and massive (Febrian et al, 2019).…”