A total of 76.481 Indonesian citizens in Hong Kong and Macau have exercised their right to vote in the 2024 elections. Two voting methods are used in the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, namely by coming to a polling place (TPS) and by post.
Unlike the two previous elections which used the Victoria Park open field in Causeway Bay (2014) and public facilities (2019), in the 2024 election this time the polling stations were placed in the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong. Chairman of the Overseas Election Committee (PPLN) for Hong Kong and Macau, Agustinus Guntoro, said that as many as 753 voters voted directly at four polling stations centered at the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong on Tuesday (13/02). This number is equivalent to 31,5 percent of the total 2.390 registered voters.
"With close cooperation between the Overseas Election Committee (PPLN) of Hong Kong and Macau, the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), and other related parties, voting at the TPS went smoothly," he said in an official statement, Wednesday (14/ 2/2024), as reported by CNN Indonesia.
Agustinus said that receipt of ballot papers by post would last until February 15 2024. As of February 13 2024, he said, 75.728 ballot papers had been received back by PPLN Hong Kong.
Agustinus said that the enthusiasm of Indonesian citizens in this election was very high. There was an increase of 64,5 percent from the total number of 46.491 voters compared to the 2019 election.
According to him, with 164.691 Indonesian citizens registered as DPT, Hong Kong and Macau are the third largest electoral regions abroad. "In accordance with statutory regulations, the vote count for direct voters will be carried out on Wednesday, February 14 2024, at 14.15 local time," said Agustinus.
"Meanwhile, counting of postal ballots will take place starting Friday, February 16 2024, at 09.00 local time," he said.
According to information from the General Election Commission (KPU), Indonesian citizens who are abroad have three ways to cast their ballots. First, come to the polling station provided, such as at an embassy or consulate general. Second, vote and put it in the mobile ballot box (KSK). Third, vote and then send the ballot via the post office.
The voting process abroad is carried out earlier or earlier than the election at home, from 5 to 14 February 2024. Even though it is carried out first, the vote counting and recapitulation process is carried out at the same time as at home.
