Voter Rights and Electoral Justice in Indonesia’s 2024 Concurrent Elections: System Design, Institutional Fragmentation, and Dispute Resolution
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66502/2e11b149Keywords:
Concurrent Elections, Electoral Justice, Constitutional Voting Rights, Electoral Dispute Resolution, Indonesian Constitutional CourtAbstract
The 2024 Indonesian general elections were the largest and most administratively complex democratic exercise in the country’s history, combining presidential, national legislative, and regional legislative contests on a single polling day and holding regional executive elections later in the same year. This article examines the causal relationship between the design of the concurrent election system and the protection of voters’ constitutional rights, and evaluates whether Indonesia’s dispute resolution architecture is capable of delivering electoral justice. Using normative-juridical research supported by secondary empirical data, and combining statutory, conceptual, case, and comparative approaches, the article advances two arguments. First, the “five-ballot” concurrent design satisfies the formal dimension of the right to vote while eroding its substantive dimension: it imposes an extreme administrative and physical burden on polling station officials and a cognitive burden on voters, so that high turnout coexists with attenuated deliberative capacity, particularly in legislative contests displaced by presidential coattails. Second, the fragmentation of electoral adjudication among the Constitutional Court, the Election Supervisory Agency, the Honorary Council of Election Organisers, and the State Administrative Court generates divergent standards of proof, inconsistent characterisation of identical conduct, and gaps in remedial authority that are most consequential precisely where structured, systematic, and massive violations are alleged. Analysis of the 2024 election result disputes indicates a discernible movement toward substantive justice, but one constrained by evidentiary thresholds and procedural limits rather than by judicial willingness. The article contributes an integrated account linking concurrency, voter protection, and forum fragmentation, and argues that reconstructing the electoral calendar and unifying electoral jurisdiction are complementary rather than alternative reforms.
References
Amir, Mushaddiq. “Keserentakan Pemilu 2024 yang Paling Ideal Berdasarkan Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Republik Indonesia.” AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 23, no. 2 (2020): 115–32.
Amiruddin, and Rizki Ramadani. “Judicial Activism in Regional Head Election Dispute: The Practice and Consistency of the Indonesian Constitutional Court.” Substantive Justice International Journal of Law 6, no. 1 (2023): 56. https://doi.org/10.56087/substantivejustice.v6i1.230.
Augenblick, Ned, and Scott Nicholson. “Ballot Position, Choice Fatigue, and Voter Behaviour.” The Review of Economic Studies 83, no. 2 (2016): 460–80. https://doi.org/10.1093/restud/rdv047.
Cantú, Francisco, and Sandra Ley. “Poll Worker Recruitment: Evidence from the Mexican Case.” Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy 16, no. 4 (2017): 495–510. https://doi.org/10.1089/elj.2016.0385.
Carreras, Miguel. “Presidential Institutions and Electoral Participation in Concurrent Elections in Latin America.” Political Studies 66, no. 3 (2018): 541–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321717723502.
Clark, Alistair, and Toby S. James. “Electoral Administration and the Problem of Poll Worker Recruitment: Who Volunteers, and Why?” Public Policy and Administration 38, no. 2 (2023): 188–208. https://doi.org/10.1177/09520767211021203.
Dahl, Robert A. Democracy and Its Critics. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989.
Diar, Adithiya, and Beny Saputra. “Judicial Activism in Indonesia Constitutional Court: The Adjudication of Regional Election Disputes.” Al-Risalah: Forum Kajian Hukum dan Sosial Kemasyarakatan 25, no. 2 (2025): 37–57. https://doi.org/10.30631/alrisalah.v25i2.1920.
Dicey, A. V. Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution. 8th ed. London: Macmillan, 1915.
Effendi, Tonny Dian. “Estimating the Multilevel Coattail Effect during the 2019 Indonesian Election.” Asian Affairs: An American Review 49, no. 3 (2022): 140–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/00927678.2022.2091909.
Election Commission of India. “Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) FAQ.” Accessed 2025.
Garnett, Holly Ann. “Evaluating Electoral Management Body Capacity.” International Political Science Review 40, no. 3 (2019): 335–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512119832924.
Garnett, Holly Ann, and Toby S. James. “Electoral Backsliding? Democratic Divergence and Trajectories in the Quality of Elections Worldwide.” Electoral Studies 86 (2023): 102696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102696.
Hanan, Djayadi, and Deni Irvani. “The Coattail Effect in Multiparty Presidential Elections.” Asian Survey 62, no. 2 (2022): 240–68. https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2022.1501924.
Hanida, Rozidateno Putri, Redni Putri Meldianto, and Siska Surya Hasnita. “Simultaneous National and Local Elections 2024: Triggering Voter Fatigue, Coattail Effect, and Political Polarization in Indonesia.” KnE Social Sciences 10, no. 4 (2025): 21–36. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i4.18024.
Hartlyn, Jonathan, Jennifer McCoy, and Thomas M. Mustillo. “Electoral Governance Matters: Explaining the Quality of Elections in Contemporary Latin America.” Comparative Political Studies 41, no. 1 (2008): 73–98. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414007301701.
Herrnson, Paul S., Michael J. Hanmer, and Richard G. Niemi. “The Impact of Ballot Type on Voter Errors.” American Journal of Political Science 56, no. 3 (2012): 716–30. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5907.2011.00579.x.
Humaidi, M. Wildan. “The Ambivalence of Regional Election Dispute Resolution in Indonesia: The Dynamics of the Constitutional Court’s Interpretation of Dispute Resolution Designs on Regional Election Results.” Yudisia: Jurnal Pemikiran Hukum dan Hukum Islam 14, no. 2 (2023): 251. https://doi.org/10.21043/yudisia.v14i2.22742.
Indra, Mexsasai, Geofani Milthree Saragih, and Tito Handoko. “Pseudo-judicial Review for the Dispute over the Result of the Regional Head Election in Indonesia.” Lentera Hukum 10, no. 1 (2023): 111. https://doi.org/10.19184/ejlh.v10i1.36685.
Instituto Nacional Electoral. “Sistema Político Electoral.” Accessed 2025.
International IDEA. Electoral Justice: The International IDEA Handbook. Stockholm: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2010.
Is, Muhamad Sadi. “Penguatan Fungsi Bawaslu dalam Penegakan Hukum Pelanggaran Administrasi sebagai Penataan Pemilu Serentak.” APHTN-HAN 2, no. 1 (2024).
Jaffe, Jacob, Joseph R. Loffredo, Samuel Baltz, Alejandro Flores, and Charles Stewart III. “Trust in the Count: Improving Voter Confidence with Post-election Audits.” Public Opinion Quarterly 88, no. SI (2024): 585–607. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfae029.
James, Toby S. “Better Workers, Better Elections? Electoral Management Body Workforces and Electoral Integrity Worldwide.” International Political Science Review 40, no. 3 (2019): 370–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512119829516.
Kartini, Dede Sri, Mohammad Desgia Adinadya Putra, and Arif Zainudin. “Decision-Making Process in Voting during the 2024 Election in Indonesia (A Study in Bandung Regency).” Frontiers in Political Science 7 (2025): art. 1647672. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2025.1647672.
Klaver, Joseph. “Electoral Court and By-Elections in France: Guarantor of Electoral Integrity or Political Sideshow?” Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy 24, no. 2 (2025): 150–71. https://doi.org/10.1089/elj.2024.0011.
Komisi Pemilihan Umum Republik Indonesia. “DPT Pemilu 2024 Dalam Negeri dan Luar Negeri, 204,8 Juta Pemilih.” 2023. https://www.kpu.go.id/berita/baca/11702/dpt-pemilu-2024-nasional-2048-juta-pemilih.
———. Keputusan Komisi Pemilihan Umum Nomor 1043 Tahun 2024 tentang Tingkat Partisipasi Pemilih yang Menggunakan Hak Pilihnya pada Hari Pemungutan Suara dalam Pemilihan Umum Presiden dan Wakil Presiden, Anggota Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, dan Anggota Dewan Perwakilan Daerah. 2024.
Kusumo, Anindya Paramesti. “Efektivitas Peran Bawaslu dalam Penyelesaian Sengketa Pemilu melalui Mekanisme Hukum Acara MK.” Jurnal Ilmiah Nusantara 2, no. 1 (2025): 135–44.
Mahkamah Konstitusi Republik Indonesia. “Ikhtisar Putusan Perkara Nomor 135/PUU-XXII/2024 tentang Model Keserentakan Pemilihan Umum.” N.d.
———. “Pemilu Nasional dan Pemilu Lokal Diselenggarakan Terpisah Mulai 2029.” N.d. https://www.mkri.id/berita/pemilu-nasional-dan-pemilu-lokal-diselenggarakan-terpisah-mulai-2029-23414.
Maulana, M. Rijal Al’Hadad. “Analisis Tantangan Konstitusional dan Problematika Hukum Tata Negara dalam Pelaksanaan Pilkada 2024.” Constitution Journal 3, no. 2 (2024): 211–32.
Mauês, Antonio Gomes Moreira, and Juliana Rodrigues Freitas. “Electoral Justice in Brazil: Autonomy and Institutional Resources.” Pensar: Revista de Ciências Jurídicas 30 (2025): 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5020/2317-2150.2025.16249.
Maurisya, Firnandes. “Special Chamber Mahkamah Konstitusi dalam Penyelesaian Sengketa Pemilu.” Milthree Law Journal 1, no. 3 (2024): 319–60.
Medina Torres, Luis Eduardo, and Adriana Valeria Jaramillo. “La transparencia en el Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación de México.” Revista Española de la Transparencia, no. 13 (2021): 71–83. https://doi.org/10.51915/ret.189.
Mustika, Dora, M. Dani Fariz Amrullah D., and Sayyidah Sekar Dewi Kulsum. “Analysis of the Authority of the Constitutional Court in General Election Result Dispute Cases (Study of Constitutional Court Ruling Number 1/PHPU.PRES-XXII/2024 and 2/PHPU.PRES-XXII/2024).” Pranata Hukum 19, no. 2 (2024): 166–74. https://doi.org/10.36448/pranatahukum.v19i2.348.
Nimah, Rodhotun. “Menilik Potret Tantangan dalam Menyongsong Pemilu Serentak 2024.” Muhammadiyah Law Review 8, no. 1 (2024): 1–15.
Nogueira, Ary Jorge. “The Judicialization of the Municipal Electoral Competition in Brazil: A Study on Supplementary Elections from 2004 to 2018.” Beijing Law Review 10, no. 5 (2019): 1282–1304. https://doi.org/10.4236/blr.2019.105069.
Norris, Pippa, Holly Ann Garnett, and Max Gröming. “The Paranoid Style of American Elections: Explaining Perceptions of Electoral Integrity in an Age of Populism.” Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties 30, no. 1 (2020): 105–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457289.2019.1593181.
Pachón, Mónica, Royce Carroll, and Hernando Barragán. “Ballot Design and Invalid Votes: Evidence from Colombia.” Electoral Studies 48 (2017): 98–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2017.05.005.
Popova, Maria. “Watchdogs or Attack Dogs? The Role of the Russian Courts and the Central Election Commission in the Resolution of Electoral Disputes.” Europe-Asia Studies 58, no. 3 (2006): 391–414. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668130600601800.
Pratama, Heroik Mutaqin, and Aditya Perdana. “Judicialization of Politics in Indonesia’s Electoral System: Case Study on Judicial Review of Threshold, Balloting Structure, and Simultaneous Election at the Constitutional Court.” Politik Indonesia: Indonesian Political Science Review 6, no. 1 (2021): 90–110. https://doi.org/10.15294/ipsr.v6i3.32599.
Putra, Gede Dandi Pratama. “Role of the Constitutional Court in Indonesia’s Electoral Justice System.” International Journal of Business, Law, and Education 7, no. 1 (2026): 238–46.
Romano, Andrea. “Constitutional Courts Dealing with Electoral Systems: A Comparative Look at Constitutional Adjudication on Electoral Equality.” Revista de Investigações Constitucionais 10, no. 2 (2023): 232. https://doi.org/10.5380/rinc.v10i2.89827.
Saputri, Rioni Rahmanda. “Analisis Penyelesaian Perselisihan Hasil Pemilihan Presiden di Indonesia.” 2, no. 5 (2024): 140–50.
Singh, Ujjwal Kumar, and Anupama Roy. “Regulating the Electoral Domain: The Election Commission of India.” Indian Journal of Public Administration 64, no. 3 (2018): 518–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019556118788497.
Sulistyowati. Hukum Tata Negara. Edited by Dewi Nadya Maharani. 1st ed. Jakarta: PT Dewi Bintang Maharatu, 2025.
———. “Refleksi Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi pada Pemilihan Presiden Tahun 2024 terhadap Politik dan Demokrasi Indonesia.” Qanuniya: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum 1, no. 1 (2024): 10–25.
———. “Relevansi Badan Khusus dalam Penanganan Sengketa Pemilihan Umum Kepala Daerah di Indonesia.” UNES Law Review 6, no. 4 (2024): 11155–66.
———. “The Sabotage in the Election Campaign.” Law Development Journal 6, no. 2 (2024): 214–25.
———. “Urgensi Pembuatan Undang-Undang Hukum Acara di Mahkamah Konstitusi.” Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Syar-i 10, no. 5 (2023): 1427–38.
Surbakti, Ramlan. Memahami Ilmu Politik.
Susanto, Andiriana. “Pemilihan Umum Serentak 2024: Menyongsong Era Digitalisasi.” Jurnal Bhinneka Tunggal Ika 7 (2022): 27–48.
Tribunal Superior Eleitoral. “Election Process in Brazil.” Accessed 2025. https://international.tse.jus.br/en/elections/election-process-in-brazil.
Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945.
van Ham, Carolien, and Holly Ann Garnett. “Building Impartial Electoral Management? Institutional Design, Independence and Electoral Integrity.” International Political Science Review 40, no. 3 (2019): 313–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512119834573.
Wijayanti, Septi Nur, and Aulia Khansa Nabila. “Catatan Kritis: Evaluasi Multi Lembaga Penyelesaian Sengketa Pemilu terhadap Electoral Justice.” JAPHTN-HAN 4, no. 1 (2025): 9–28. https://doi.org/10.55292/japhtnhan.v4i1.167.
Yasin, Rahman. “Hak Konstitusional Warga Negara dalam Pemilu.” Jurnal Bawaslu Provinsi Kepulauan Riau 4, no. 2 (2022): 188–201.
Zucco, Cesar, Jr., and Jairo M. Nicolau. “Trading Old Errors for New Errors? The Impact of Electronic Voting Technology on Party Label Votes in Brazil.” Electoral Studies 43 (2016): 10–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2016.04.001.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sulistyowati, Erman I. Rahim, Dewi Nadya Maharani, Mahda Rahman, Gusti Bintang Maharaja (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
