By: Andika Pratama)*
The revote (PSU) in the series of simultaneous regional elections in 2024 in several regions such as Palopo City, South Sulawesi and Pesawaran Regency, Lampung took place in an atmosphere that remained conducive, orderly, and upheld democratic principles. The active and synergistic role between the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) is the main key to maintaining the integrity and credibility of the implementation of the election stages, starting from voting, counting, to the vote recapitulation process in stages.
In Palopo City, the South Sulawesi Provincial Bawaslu consistently oversees each stage of the PSU with close supervision, especially in the vote counting recapitulation process at the sub-district election committee (PPK) level. This activity has become a serious concern after the voting took place on May 24, 2025, which involved 260 Polling Stations (TPS) in 48 sub-districts in nine districts, with a total list of permanent voters reaching 125,572 people.
According to Bawaslu South Sulawesi member, Saiful Jihad, the supervision process was carried out comprehensively and responsively to reports of alleged violations received. This shows that supervision is carried out comprehensively by upholding the principles of accountability and professionalism in accordance with applicable procedures. Thus, each report will be followed up in accordance with applicable procedures and mechanisms, in order to ensure that all stages take place in accordance with the legal corridor.
Bawaslu’s steps emphasize that the success of the PSU is not only measured by the smooth implementation of the technical aspects, but also by the quality of the results that can be widely accepted by the public. Public trust in the results of the Pilkada will only be formed if the implementation is carried out transparently, professionally, and free from intervention or fraud. Bawaslu is committed to maintaining the integrity of the implementation of democracy in order to produce leaders who are truly legitimate.
Meanwhile, in Pesawaran Regency, Lampung, the implementation of the PSU also received direct supervision from the Lampung Provincial KPU. The Head of the Lampung KPU, Erwan Bustami, stated that the voting and vote counting process went smoothly without any significant obstacles. Since Sunday morning after the voting, the recapitulation at the sub-district level has begun and has been successfully completed. The process of uploading form D data from all sub-districts has also been completed 100 percent, demonstrating the organizers’ commitment to ensuring that the stages run on time and are neatly documented.
As unilateral claims from several parties circulate, the KPU firmly emphasized that official results can only be issued through a plenary recapitulation at the district level. This affirmation is in line with the principle of legal certainty and maintaining the neutrality of election organizers so as not to be influenced by political pressure or hasty public expectations.
Supervision in Pesawaran also observed a report of alleged structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations submitted by one of the candidate pairs. The report has been administratively received by the Lampung Provincial Bawaslu and is in the process of completing the documents before deciding whether or not to register it. The handling of this case is an important test for Bawaslu in demonstrating its commitment to the principle of electoral justice, where all parties are treated equally before the law and the entire process is carried out transparently.
The efforts of the KPU and Bawaslu illustrate solid coordination in maintaining the sustainability of healthy local democracy. The KPU as the technical implementer and Bawaslu as the supervisor, complement each other in ensuring that the PSU is not just a legal formality, but a corrective mechanism that truly reflects the sovereignty of the people. Amidst political dynamics and social pressure, this commitment is an important foundation in encouraging the legitimacy of the election results.
The emergence of potential disputes is normal in democracy and can be resolved through legal channels peacefully and constitutionally. The existence of a reporting mechanism and handling of violations by Bawaslu provides a legal space for Pilkada participants to convey objections in an orderly and procedural manner, while preventing the escalation of horizontal conflicts that can harm the spirit of democracy.
With a transparent, accountable, and participatory approach, the implementation of the PSU in both regions has succeeded in showing that Indonesian democracy is able to respond to local challenges and dynamics in a mature and professional manner. This experience is an important lesson for the implementation of Pilkada stages in other regions, that strict supervision and collective work between the KPU and Bawaslu can maintain a conducive atmosphere without ignoring the substance of honest and fair elections.
In the future, it is important to continue tonducing the strengthening of the institutional capacity of election organizers to be more adaptive to technological developments and the socio-political dynamics of society. The use of digital applications such as Sirekap and JagaSuara2024 shows a positive direction towards efficiency and transparency, and this will be even more optimal if supported by the readiness of human resources and a strong data protection system.
With the spirit of professionalism and neutrality, the KPU and Bawaslu have proven themselves to be the vanguard of a strong democracy. Public support to continue to monitor and oversee every process will be a collective energy to ensure that every vote is truly meaningful, and every elected leader is born from a clean and trusted process. In this context, PSU is not only a technical improvement of the election, but a momentum to strengthen the quality of local democracy in Indonesia.
)* The author is a Political Analyst at the Indonesian Strategic Studies Institute
