By: Robert Alamsyah*
Ahead of the 2024 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada), political education for voters is one of the most crucial things. With the increasing number of young voters and increasingly complex political dynamics, it is important for us to understand the role of education in creating smart and responsible voters. Various parties have an important role in increasing public political awareness.
Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU), Mochammad Afifuddin, said that voter education is the foundation of a healthy democracy. Afifuddin said that his party has a responsibility to ensure that every voter understands their rights and obligations. Good education will reduce the number of abstentions and increase public participation. The KPU is also committed to holding various socialization activities, both through traditional and digital media, to reach all levels of society.
The KPU also emphasized the importance of using technology in educational campaigns. With the existence of social media platforms that are very popular among the younger generation, the KPU can convey information in a more interesting and interactive way. It wants to reach young voters who are often less interested in politics. With a creative approach, it hopes that young people will be educated and get the right information regarding the 2024 Pilkada.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), Rahmat Bagja emphasized that voter education is an integral part of the supervision of the Regional Election. Rahmat Bagja said that Bawaslu is not only tasked with supervising the election process, but also ensuring that the public gets the correct information. Good education will help the public, especially new voters, recognize fraud and violations that may occur during the Regional Head Election process.
Bawaslu also plans to involve communities and community organizations in educational efforts. It will hold workshops and discussions to equip the public with knowledge about their rights as voters. That way, the public will be more courageous in reporting if there are violations. Through comprehensive education, Bawaslu hopes to create voters who are not only active, but also critical.
Then, during the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Election campaign period, the Head of the Domestic Politics Division of the Kesbangpol Agency of Kediri City, Subagiyo, said that his party had made continuous efforts to educate voters regarding the 2024 Regional Election. According to him, voter education is also very important in the context of regional development. His party feels that educated voters are the key to choosing the right leader and being able to lead the region in a better direction. Active community participation in the Regional Election is also considered to have a great influence on the success of development programs.
Subagiyo said that the Regional Government has a role in organizing programs that educate the public regarding the 2024 Pilkada. His party will work with the Regional Government to hold discussion forums at the local level and disseminate information through various communication channels. By involving the community directly, we hope to build their awareness of the importance of their voice in determining the direction of regional development, as well as educate them about the negative impacts of money politics, hoaxes, and hate speech during the Pilkada.
Meanwhile, an academic from Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat) Manado, Julis Randang said that the KPU and Bawaslu must routinely provide education to the public to maintain conduciveness during the implementation of the Pilkada. According to him, the public as voters must be educated so that they have sufficient understanding and get appropriate information.
The young generation is the future of the nation, and they must be given sufficient provisions to participate in the political process. In this way, comprehensive education will increase participation and reduce the number of abstentions. In this context, the young generation who are potential voters must receive special attention.
Through programs organized by the Pilkada organizers, the public can be equipped with the knowledge needed to make informed and critical decisions. In addition, Julius said that the involvement of academics and teachers in the education process is very important. Through public discussions, seminars, and workshops, the public can be invited to dialogue about current political issues and understand how policies taken by prospective leaders will impact their daily lives.
This socialization is very important to do so that differences in choice do not disrupt community life. The socialization includes information related to prohibitions that should not be carried out during the campaign period including black campaigns, spreading hoaxes, and hate speech. His party also reminded all candidate pairs and their winning teams to compete healthily and follow the applicable rules and avoid black campaign practices.
Because according to him, hoaxes in the Pilkada are political instruments aimed at influencing the process of organizing and the results of the election. In fact, the hoaxes that circulate usually have the aim of discrediting the Government, the organizers of the Election, and even bringing down their political opponents.
Therefore, in this era of rapid information, people need to be trained to sort out true information from false. Collaboration between government institutions, civil society organizations, and academics will create an ecosystem that supports voter education. With educated voters, the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections will produce leaders who truly represent the aspirations of the people and are committed to regional development.
*The author is a FISIP student at a university in Jakarta.
