Covarida, in her “Invalid Votes in the 2014 Legislative Elections in Bali” (2014) research paper, also found that spoilt votes resulted from the voting organizing groups’ (KPPS) inconsistencies and misunderstandings in determining which votes were valid or invalid. Several variants of errors found include voting more than once in a political party’s column, a symmetrical mark that did not hit other election participants’ column, a single punch mark on a row that did not contain the name of a candidate and a single punch mark on a candidate or political party’s column, which according to the KPU Regulation 26/2013 and its amendments, should be considered valid.
Anticipatory Measures
Based on past election experiences and evaluations, stakeholders must take a number of measures to solve the high number of invalid votes. First, the KPU and its personnel must conduct intensive simulations, particularly on the voting and vote-counting process at the polling stations, by exhaustively involving all stakeholders. Instruments for socialization must also be provided in various forms (digital and conventional) to educate the voters about casting their votes correctly, so that they have adequate knowledge regarding valid votes; then, their votes will also count. The KPU also needs to identify regions with significant rates of spoilt ballots and have its personnel identify the causes and anticipative measures so that the number of invalid votes can be curbed in the future.
Second, training for KPPS members who will organize elections on D-Day must be conducted in a practical, not theoretical, manner. Practical training on identifying and determining valid and invalid votes must be intensified, including the procedures for completing various forms used when counting votes at the polling stations. Technical and capacity-building training must not be rushed or conducted last minute. Training for vote-counting workers must also include (visual) documentation of marking valid and invalid ballots. As voters’ votes are collected by the election workers at the polling stations, they must have adequate knowledge and capacity.
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Third, monitoring and law enforcement on vote buying and selling must be taken seriously to prevent voters’ or candidates’ seduction. Strict punishments must be imposed on the perpetrators – not only the actors but also the mastermind. Election supervisors must improve active monitoring by involving the community.
Fourth, political parties and legislative candidates must also be responsible for educating and strengthening voters’ capacity, so they can vote appropriately and refrain from being involved in vote buying and selling or other illicit conduct. They should also establish mutual supervision to create an honest, fair and equal contestation climate.
Finally, the media and all elements of civil society play an important role in educating the voters to understand electoral technicality and maintain the vote’s integrity, which can be damaged by technical errors or other transactional conduct.