Indonesia: Provinces, regencies holding elections in 2020 ‘highly vulnerable’ to disruption

• All nine provinces and many regencies that will hold local elections in Sep 20 are vulnerable to disruption, according to the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu).
• An index released by Bawaslu on 25 Feb 20 reveals that the nine provinces and 48 regencies are highly prone to disruption in the 2020 regional elections.
• The Elections Vulnerability Index is an early warning instrument to prevent any disruption and violations in elections. “We hope that all stakeholders will utilize it to improve their election monitoring policies, programs and strategies,” Bawaslu head Abhan said at the launch of the index.
• A regency or city is assigned a score of 0-100, with 56.95-100 considered highly vulnerable; 43.07-56.94 mild and 0-43.06 low. For provinces, meanwhile, a score of 57.55-100 suggests high vulnerability; 42.47-57.54 mild and 0-42.46 low.
• Out of the 261 regencies and cities assessed, 48 score high – signifying a greater vulnerability. Manokwari regency in West Papua ranks highest with a score of 80.89.
• Meanwhile, all the nine provinces score high, led by North Sulawesi as the most vulnerable (86.42) and followed by Central Sulawesi (81.05), West Sumatera (80.86), Jambi (73.69), Bengkulu (72.08), Central Kalimantan (70.08), South Kalimantan (69.70), Riau Island (67.43) and North Kalimantan (62.87).
• Key issues to be anticipated in the 2020 elections, according to the index, are vote-buying, low voter turnout (under 77.5%), low public participation in monitoring elections, corrections of vote counts and lack of election organizer integrity.

External Link : https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/02/26/provinces-regencies-holding-elections-in-2020-highly-vulnerable-to-disruption.html