Community participation ahead of the 2024 regional elections is the main key in making this national agenda a success. The reason is, Pilkada is not just an election process, but also a reflection of the success of a country’s democratic system.
In this context, efforts to strengthen community participation become a moral call and shared responsibility. By involving more citizens in the political decision-making process, we not only strengthen the foundations of democracy, but also ensure the creation of leaders who truly represent and serve the interests of the people. Therefore, there needs to be concrete steps to invite and empower the community to take an active role in the 2024 Regional Elections.
Community participation in the 2024 Regional Head Election (Pilkada) is the main focus of the Cimahi City Government (Pemkot), West Java. With increased intensity of socialization, they are trying to raise the spirit of citizen participation in the democratic party which will be held on November 27 2024.
This step is a concrete manifestation of our joint commitment to ensure a healthy, transparent and accountable democratic process in Cimahi City. In this context, community participation is considered the key to success, a call to jointly oversee and support the smooth running of the regional elections.
The Acting Mayor of Cimahi, Dicky Saromi, emphasized the importance of support and active participation from all parties to ensure that the Pilkada runs safely, peacefully and conducively. According to him, the 2024 regional elections are not just a routine agenda, but rather a crucial moment where the people have the opportunity to exercise their voting rights in determining leaders who are deemed capable of representing their aspirations and needs.
The hope is to elect a leader who is not only competent and has integrity, but is also able to improve the welfare of Cimahi City as a whole. To achieve this, there needs to be active involvement and contribution from various elements of society.
Not only that, the role of the Cimahi City Government can also be seen in the formation of the Pilkada Work Unit Element Support Team (Desk), which is tasked with supporting the smooth implementation of the 2024 simultaneous regional elections.
This step is in line with efforts to ensure that the Pilkada process takes place safely, orderly and smoothly. Through intensive socialization and education, it is hoped that the public can better understand and realize how important their role is in maintaining the course of democracy.
Data from the General Election Commission (KPU) shows that public participation in the previous election in Cimahi City reached 85.5 percent. Even though this figure is quite high, there is still room for improvement in the upcoming 2024 regional elections. This is one of the main focuses of socialization activities carried out by the Cimahi City Government, namely to encourage community participation in the Pilkada to exceed this figure.
Similar steps were also taken by the West Lampung General Election Commission (KPU), which was actively involved in socializing the stages of the simultaneous regional elections to the public. By targeting a number of markets and crowded places, the West Lampung KPU is trying to provide the education and information needed by the public regarding the stages and process of the Pilkada. Through the Grebek Pasar program, it is hoped that it can increase public awareness of the importance of voting and minimize the number of abstentions.
Chairman of the West Lampung KPU, Arip Sah, emphasized that this program is an effective effort to increase public participation in the democratic process. By ensuring that the public understands the stages and procedures of the Pilkada, it is hoped that they will be more motivated to take part in the elections later. It is hoped that efforts to collect voter data can ensure that every citizen who has voting rights can exercise their rights properly.
Not only in West Lampung, but similar efforts were also carried out by the West Papua KPU. Through the official launch of the Governor-Deputy Governor Election, the West Papua KPU is trying to make the public aware of the importance of their participation in the democratic process.
By involving all parties, both from the KPU, political parties and society at large, it is hoped that the 2024 regional elections can take place in a transparent, accountable and participatory manner.
In summarizing the journey towards increasing public participation in the 2024 Pilkada, one thing that becomes clear is how important the active role of every individual is in strengthening democracy.
Through awareness of their rights and obligations as citizens, the community has demonstrated their commitment to participate in the democratic political process. From outreach steps to intensive educational efforts, momentum has been created that has built a collective spirit to maintain integrity and transparency in the upcoming regional elections.
The 2024 regional elections are not only an election event, but also a symbol of the strength and success of our democracy. Through strong and continuous participation, we prove that society has a central role in shaping the political and social future of this country. Therefore, let’s keep this spirit burning, because in our hands the future of our democracy lies.
