General Elections, 14 February 2024

Floods, January - February 2024 

The Asian Monsoon that drives seasonal storms and floods across the Indian sub-continent and Southeast/East Asia brings upwards of 85% of the annual rainfall in the region (EOS 2020). At the end of the dry season, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BKMG) estimated that the peak rainy season would occur in January and February of 2024 (ANTARA 2023). Consequential to peak rainfall, the BKMG warned of risks for landslides and flooding in these months (Reuters 2023). Severe weather in the region is becoming more common (Jakarta Post 2024). However, stronger El Nino years, or when the Pacific Ocean temperatures rise above average, tend to bring drought to Indonesia as rainfall patterns shift (Gro Intelligence 2023; Grantham Institute n.d.). The frequency and intensity of droughts in Indonesia are expected to increase together with El Nino events following warmer global temperatures. By 2030, climate change is projected to increase the number of people affected by floods annually by 400,000 (Asian Development Bank, 2021).  

Impact on electoral processes 

On 14 February 2024, Indonesia held general elections that marked the world’s largest single-day election spanning three time zones and 17,000 islands. Voters had six hours to cast their ballots, yet many faced knee-high floodwaters (Reuters 2024). In Demak, 10 villages postponed voting due to water up to three meters high and displaced personnel, as stated by the head of the Demak Election Commission (Utami 2024).  Other areas of north Jakarta postponed their election by 4 days due to flooding in an election warehouse which resulted in damaged election materials (Al Hamasy 2024). Within the rules of postponement written by the General Elections Commission, villages had 10 days to conduct polling. 

Changes in procedures  

Some polling stations opened hours later while others had to move to makeshift polling sites or move sites indoors due to the flooding. Other polling stations were pumped to expel excess water while others wrapped their ballot boxes in plastic for extra protection (AFP 2024).  The DKI Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency mobilized over 200 personnel as Rapid Response Teams to the damaged polling stations to assist with relocation. They provided equipment such as boats and tents, with support from various agencies such as the Water Resources Agency and local administrators. The agency also coordinated with the Department of Water Resources and Department of Environmental Sanitation to ensure the function of water channels (Al Hamasy, A. I., 2024).  

Voter turnout 

Voter turnout was 81.78% for the 2024 election, only slightly less than the 82% turnout from the 2019 election (Statistica 2024).