The 2024 Regional Elections are one of the many democratic celebrations designed by the Government to provide inclusive justice for all Indonesian citizens to exercise their right to vote. Likewise for people with disabilities in all regions of Indonesia, especially in the Provinces of Papua, West Papua, Indonesia who have met the requirements to vote.

In the records of the Papua Provincial General Election Commission, the recapitulation of disabled voters in the 2024 gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial elections, regents and deputy regents, and mayors and deputy mayors in their region, amounted to 2,141 people from the total number of Permanent Voters List as a whole which reached 750,959 voters.

This number is spread across nine regencies and cities in Papua Province, namely Jayapura Regency 386 voters, Yapen Islands Regency 289 voters, Biak Numfor Regency 670 voters, Sarmi Regency 111 voters, Keerom Regency 102 voters, Waropen Regency 180 voters, Supiori Regency 94 voters, Mamberamo Raya Regency 15 voters, and Jayapura City 294 voters.

In the regional elections, it is not that there is no “partisanship” for people with disabilities because everything has been regulated in the law that it is mandated that this special needs community group also has the right to vote that needs to be guarded.

“So, the language is not partisanship because it is already the right of people with disabilities to participate in the regional elections,” said the Chairman of the Papua Provincial General Election Commission Steve Dumbon.

Thus, as the organizers of the regional elections, both the General Election Commission and the Election Supervisory Body together with the local government are committed to providing the best in the implementation process, especially for people with disabilities.

Even the Acting Governor of Papua, Ramses Limbong, emphasized that the implementation of the regional elections must be fair, general, free, and comfortable for anyone, including people with disabilities and the disabled.

This statement is one of the many commitments of the Government to present a friendly regional election for all citizens, including people with disabilities.

A Priority

These people with disabilities are not only recorded in detail in each administrative area of ​​Papua Province, but their presence is also prioritized in the implementation of the democratic party.

This is as conveyed by the Head of the Papua Province Communication and Information Service, Jeri Yudianto, that for the provision and construction of polling stations, aspects of convenience for people with disabilities must be considered who will later use their voting rights. For example, visual aids equipped with Braille letters so that people with disabilities can more easily determine their choice in the voting booth.

Specifically for Papua Province, logistics related to these visual aids are still being processed and are scheduled to arrive at the Jayapura City warehouse in the first week of November 2024 to then be distributed to other districts.

The Papua General Election Commission must first conduct a trial of this visual aid so that on voting day, voters who are people with disabilities can feel comfortable using it.

Not only the local government, the General Election Commission and the Election Supervisory Body continue to pay great attention to preparing a voting moment that is friendly to people with disabilities.

Member of the Papua Province Election Supervisory Body who is also the Coordinator of the Prevention, Participation and Public Relations Division, Yofrey Piryamta Kebelen, continues to remind the General Election Commission that people with disabilities who have the right to vote and are eligible to vote must be well accommodated.

Starting from the polling station, the road to the polling station, the assistants for people with disabilities, to the ballot papers must be well accessible.

There must be no small bridges or dangerous ditches that people cross when they are going to vote. The location or position of the polling station must also be easily accessible to the public, especially those with special needs using wheelchairs or walking aids. They were even reminded not to build Polling Stations in the hills or those that require people to travel to high places.

The Papua Election Supervisory Body is intensively supervising so that people with disabilities can be sure to follow the stages or election process properly and comfortably.

Advocating for Inclusive Policies

Disabled community organizations can use the momentum of the 2024 Pilkada to voice the needs and aspirations of these people with special needs. They can even influence regional head candidates to include programs that support disability rights in their vision and mission. This can be done through public discussions, submission of open letters, or audiences with candidates.

Therefore, coordination with the General Election Commission and the Election Supervisory Body needs to be continuously carried out by disabled community organizations such as that carried out by the Indonesian Association of Disabled People of Papua Province.

Herman Rumbekwan as Chair of the Indonesian Association of Disabled People of Papua Province said that disabled community organizations can build cooperation with the organizers to ensure the availability of disability-friendly facilities at Polling Stations. They can also urge election organizers to provide special training for Polling Station officers to be more sensitive to the needs of disabled voters.

If intensive communication is carried out, people with disabilities can exercise their right to vote with good supervision by the organizers.

Both the General Election Commission, the Election Supervisory Body, and the regional government have so far been intensively inviting people with disabilities who are already registered on the Permanent Voter List not to be “afraid” to come to the Polling Stations because their needs have become a priority to be monitored in the use of their voting rights.

“Don’t hesitate, we officers continue to serve people with disabilities who are already registered on the Permanent Voter List and certain Polling Stations,” said Steve Dumbon.

Socialization and education for people with disabilities in Papua Province are expected to increase the number of community participation in determining candidates for leaders or regional heads in their respective regions.

Efforts to provide and present friendly and fair elections for all Indonesian people, especially in West Papua, are a special concern of the organizers together with the Government.

If all groups and groups have been served in the 2024 Pilkada voting in Papua, it is hoped that the leaders who are elected in the future can provide justice for the entire community, including accommodating the interests of people with disabilities and the disabled.