Lembaga Penelitian, Pendidikan Dan Penerangan Ekonomi Dan Sosial ...
LP3ES
Lembaga Penelitian, Pendidikan dan
Penerangan Ekonomi dan Sosial
VOTING IN FIRST ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
PROCEEDS SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY,
BUT HIGH RATE OF INVALID VOTES AT SOME POLLING STATIONS
Jakarta, 6 July 2004
Voting in the first round of Indonesia’s first ever direct presidential election on
Monday proceeded freely, smoothly and safely, according to reports from 4,010
LP3ES-NDI election monitors. Despite high rates of invalid ballots at some polling
stations, the average rate of invalid ballots at monitored polling stations was only
9.1%.
According to these monitors, election officials at 97.1% of polling stations checked
and showed ballots and ballot boxes openly to the voting public. In addition, monitors
reported acts of intimidation toward voters in only 2.9% of polling stations and toward
polling station officials in only 1.6% of polling stations.
Furthermore, at only 1.5% of polling stations were voters who had already voted
elsewhere (i.e., had ink on their fingers) found to be voting again.
Regarding the vote counting process, LP3ES-NDI monitors reported that at 94.6% of
polling stations the count proceeded transparently – i.e., it could be observed clearly
by candidates’ agents, monitors and the public.
The complete results of the monitoring by LP3ES-NDI can be seen in the following
table.
Results of Monitoring Balloting and Counting at Polling Stations
Yes No
1. Did the voting booth ensure the secrecy of the vote?
94.8%
5.2%
2. Was there intimidation toward voters?
2.9%
97.1%
3. Was there intimidation toward polling station officials?
1.6%
98.4%
4. Was the counting process conducted openly?
98.0%
2.0%
5. Were ballots and the ballot box shown to the public?
97.1%
2.9%
6. Did any voters with inked fingers vote again?
1.5%
98.5%
7. Did any officials spoil any ballots?
1.6%
98.4%
8. Did polling station officials fill out count protocols?
98.5%
1.5%
9. Did candidates’ agents sign the count protocols?
97.0%
3.0%
LP3ES
Lembaga Penelitian, Pendidikan dan
Penerangan Ekonomi dan Sosial
The overall evaluation by LP3ES-NDI monitors concludes that the balloting and
counting process proceeded properly and smoothly at 99.2% of monitored polling
stations. This figure is derived from 62.7% of monitors who stated that they strongly
agreed that there were no observed or proven irregularities in the balloting and
counting process at the observed polling station. An additional 36.5% of monitors
stated that they agreed that the electoral process at their polling station proceeded
freely and fairly, because despite several irregularities it was not possible to say the
election was not free and fair.
These reports are the result of monitoring by LP3ES-NDI volunteers in 2,005 villages
and urban neighborhoods chosen randomly from all provinces. The margin of error is
plus or minus one percentage point at a 95% confidence level. The number of voters
at the monitored polling stations is 540,521.
Voter Turnout
This monitoring effort also indicates the level of voter turnout as 82%, only slightly
lower than turnout for the legislative elections last April (84.07%).
Invalid Votes
Regarding the many reports of invalid votes due to improper balloting, LP3ES-NDI
volunteers report finding high rates of invalid votes at some polling stations. More
than 50 invalid votes per polling station (each polling station had a maximum of 300
voters) were found at 16.4% of the monitored polling stations. Nonetheless, the total
rate of invalid votes at all monitored polling stations was 9.1%. This rate is only
slightly higher than the rate of invalid votes in the legislative elections on April 5
(8.81%).
For further information, please contact:
Tatak Prapti Ujiyati
Researcher, LP3ES
Jl. S. Parman No. 81, Jakarta
Tel: 62-21-567-4211, Mobile: 62-812-924-9394
penelitian2@lp3es.or.id
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