Understanding election posters

[Helpful Herbert]

A lot of election posters have gone up recently for DPR (parliament) candidates, and I tried to work out what they mean, especially all the various numbers. There are hundreds of potential candidates. So this is what I found:

• there are 575 DPR members of parliament. In my constituency (South Jakarta, Central Jakarta and Overseas) there are 7.
• when you see a poster there will be up to three numbers on it:

i) the number of the party (for example Golkar is no. 4, PDI-P is no. 3). This is normally near the top of the poster.
ii) the number of the candidate. Each party puts forward around 7 candidates in each constituency, but the voter can vote for any of them, it is not the case that you vote for a party and then the no.1 on the list is first to be appointed. However, usually, the no. 1 on the list will be the most popular one, since people are more likely to vote for those at the top of the list. So in over half of cases you will see the number 1 on the poster. Candidates with lower numbers might not have the money to pay for so many posters
iii) the number of the presidential candidate they support (1 for Anies, 2 for Prabowo, 3 for Ganjar). Sometimes accompanied with a picture of the presidential candidate. However this part is optional, not all election posters make it clear which presidential candidate they support.
- all 7 MPs from the 2019 election in my constituency are reapplying this time. Plus some other big names like celebrities and former ministers.

 

[Helpful Herbert]

Example:
Party number 1: PKB
Candidate name: Ida Fauziyah
Candidate number (on PKB's list): 1
Presidential candidate supported: Anies

 

[fastpitch17]

Example:
Party number 1: PKB
Candidate name: Ida Fauziyah
Candidate number (on PKB's list): 1
Presidential candidate supported: Anies

View attachment 3730

She doesn't personally support Anies, her party that supports her, PKB supports Anies. The number for Anies is 1. This is a number drawn when all candidates are officially entered into the race. The number will correspond to the number of official candidates. I would expect that the number corresponding to each particular candidate was drawn by them at a KPU organized event for their area. Numbers are assigned because you still have illiterate voters and names that can be confusing.

 

[Helpful Herbert]

She may or may not personally support Anies, but her party does and I would imagine she is obliged to support the candidate they are supporting. It wouldn't make much sense if her party supports Anies and she goes around campaigning for Ganjar, they would probably kick her out. However my guess is that since the PKS is a hardcore islamist party and she is their no. 1 candidate then she is also a hardcore islamist and therefore does indeed personally support Anies.

 

[fastpitch17]

She may or may not personally support Anies, but her party does and I would imagine she is obliged to support the candidate they are supporting. It wouldn't make much sense if her party supports Anies and she goes around campaigning for Ganjar, they would probably kick her out. However my guess is that since the PKS is a hardcore islamist party and she is their no. 1 candidate then she is also a hardcore islamist and therefore does indeed personally support Anies.

She can vote for anyone she wants no matter who is actually supporting her and who she says she supports. In all likelyhood she will vote for who her party enforced but no one will know. Her number one on her poster is not assigned by her party, it is the number she drew when numbers were being assigned for voting purposes for each candidate for whatever area she is running. There will be a 1, 2, 3, 4 and on depending on the number of candidates. There will not be a 1, 4, 1, 6. The number has no relationship with the party. Same for president. Anies drew a 1, Prabowo drew a 2, and Ganjar drew 3. It is only for the ballots.

 

[flavus]

However my guess is that since the PKS is a hardcore islamist party and she is their no. 1 candidate then she is also a hardcore islamist and therefore does indeed personally support Anies.

PKS is, this is PKB though. They used to be quite moderate but who knows nowadays

 

[Helpful Herbert]

Yes and the VP candidate is actually the long-time head of PKB, so pretty certain all PKB candidates are personally supporting him, otherwise why would they be in the party.

 

[fastpitch17]

Yes and the VP candidate is actually the long-time head of PKB, so pretty certain all PKB candidates are personally supporting him, otherwise why would they be in the party.

They are normally in the party long before the management commission decides on who the will join in a coalition. Being the VP pick was from the party means their backing is automatic. I doubt the party had a lot to do with him being chosen. More the MU position than anything.

 

[Helpful Herbert]

There are around 160 legislative candidates in South&Central Jakarta. I have been making a list of the no.1 candidates for each party. I've come to the conclusion that it is the party that chooses the order, it isn't drawn by lots. This is because the no.1 candidate always seems to be the incumbent or otherwise favoured candidate.

Examples of candidates with the number 1:
PKB party (Ida Fauziyah)
SEE ABOVE
Gerindra party (Himmatul Aliyah - existing DPR member)

PDI-P party (Eriko Sotarduga - existing DPR member)

Perindo party (Liliana Tanoesoedibjo - wife of the head of the party)

Golkar party (Christina Aryani - existing DPR member)
Democrat party (Melani Suharli - existing DPR member)

 

[fastpitch17]

So those you find with a number 6 or 7 must not be too liked by their parties. Sucks to be them.

 

[Dave70]

So those you find with a number 6 or 7 must not be too liked by their parties. Sucks to be them.

They just have less money to contribute to the party.

 

[MamangDudul]

They just have less money to contribute to the party.

True, my bro in law was no. 7 once. Didn't have the biggest budget.