Indonesia
Local Executive Elections, 27 November 2024
Volcano Eruptions, November 2024
Indonesia’s Mount Lewitobi Laki Laki volcano erupted several times between 3 and 7 November 2024, leading to thousands of residents having to evacuate to emergency shelters (NASA, 2024; Helmstaedt, K. 2024). At least ten people died following the eruptions, 64 were injured, and 10, 000 were directly affected (ESA, 2024; Herin, J., Karmini, N. 2024). The eruptions in November were regarded as particularly strong, as the ash reached the height of between 2, 000 and 8,000 meters (NASA, 2024). The volcano monitoring agency set Laki Laki’s alert status at the highest level, prohibiting all activity in the surrounding area. (Herin, J., Karmini, N. 2024). The head of the National Disaster Management Agency announced that 16, 000 residents would be permanently displaced for a period of six months (Herin, J., Karmini, N. 2024).
Impact on the electoral process
Indonesia held simultaneous local executive elections on 27 November 2024. A total of 37 polling stations and 13, 000 voters were mapped out to have been affected by the eruptions, leading the General Election Commission (KPU) to hold a meeting where they decided to move the affected polling stations into evacuation shelters to ensure all affected voters could exercise their voting rights (Dewi Purnamasari, D. 2024). At least 600 people who were evacuated to the shelters were not able to vote due to lack of access to polling stations (The Jakarta Post, 2024).
Voter turnout
Voter turnout was around 70% (Yunanto, R. 2024; Radhiyya, I., Gunawan, A. 2024; Antara News, 2024). This is a decrease compared to the 2020 local elections, which had a turnout averaging 76% (Nugroho, Y., C. Kenawas, Y. and S. Syrief, S., 2021).
Bibliography
Antara News, ‘Indonesia's KPU to evaluate low voter turnout in regional elections’, 29 November 2024, <https://en.antaranews.com/news/336397/indonesias-kpu-to-evaluate-low-voter-turnout-in-regional-elections>, accessed 11 December 2024
Dewi Purnamasari, D., ‘13.000 Pemilih Terdampak Erupsi Lewotobi, KPU Kaji Opsi Pindahkan TPS ke Pengungsian’ [13,000 Voters Affected by Lewotobi Eruption, KPU Examines Options for Moving Polling Stations to Evacuation Shelters], 13 November 2024, Kompas.id, <https://www.kompas.id/artikel/13000-pemilih-terdampak-letusan-lewotobi-kpu-kaji-opsi-pindahkan-tps-ke-pengungsian?open_from=Search_Result_Page>, accessed 11 December 2024
European Space Agency (ESA), ‘Earth from Space: ‘Angry husband’ eruption’, 22 November 2024, <https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2024/11/Earth_from_Space_Angry_husband_eruption - :~:text=Mount%20Lewotobi%20Laki%20Laki%20started%20spewing%20ash%20and,also%20caused%20hundreds%20of%20flights%20to%20be%20cancelled.>, accessed 11 December 2024
Helmstaedt, K. ‘Indonesia volcano eruptions force thousands to flee’ [film], 09 November 2024, Deutsche Welle, <https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-volcano-eruptions-force-thousands-to-flee/video-70743613>, accessed 11 December 2024
Herin, J. and Karmini, N., ‘Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupts for the second time in a week’, 07 November 2024, AP News, <https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-mount-lewotobi-lakilaki-volcano-eruptions-3a3ca22d200412ebf869fd4dd1ea2b5d>, accessed 11 December 2024
International IDEA, Voter Turnout Database, n.d., <https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/question-country?question_id=9189&country=104&database_theme=293>, accessed 11 December 2024
NASA, ‘Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Spews Ash’, 12 October 2024, <Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Spews Ash>, accessed 11 December 2024
Nugroho, Y., C. Kenawas, Y. and S. Syrief, S., ISEAS Perspective 2021/5 “How the 2020 Pilkada Reflected Major Structural Flaws in Indonesian Politics”, 2021, <https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/question-country?question_id=9189&country=104&database_theme=293>, accessed 11 December 2024
Radhiyya, I., Gunawan, A., ‘Disasters, political fatigue blamed for regional polls’ low turnouts’, 28 November 2024, The Jakarta Post, <https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/11/28/disasters-political-fatigue-blamed-for-regional-polls-low-turnouts.html>, accessed 11 December 2024
The Jakarta Post, ‘Disasters prevent millions from casting their votes in Indonesia’s regional head polls’, 28 November 2024, The Kathmandu Post, <https://kathmandupost.com/world/2024/11/28/disasters-prevent-millions-from-casting-their-votes-in-indonesia-s-regional-head-polls>, accessed 11 December 2024
Yunanto, R., ‘Voter Turnout dalam Pilkada Serentak 2024’ [Voter Turnout in the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections], 02 December 2024, iNews.id, <https://www.inews.id/news/nasional/voter-turnout-dalam-pilkada-serentak-2024>, accessed 11 December 2024
Volcanic Activity
