2020 South Tangerang mayoral election explained

Election Name:2020 South Tangerang mayoral election
Country:Indonesia
Flag Image:Lambang Kota Tangerang Selatan.svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2015 South Tangerang mayoral election
Previous Year:2015
Next Election:2024 South Tangerang mayoral election
Next Year:2024
Turnout:60.5%[1]
Image1:Benyamin Davnie - Tangsel.jpg
Candidate1:Benyamin Davnie
Party1:Golkar
Running Mate1:Pilar Saga Ichsan
Popular Vote1:235,734
Percentage1:40.95%
Candidate2:Muhamad
Party2:Independent (politics)
Running Mate2:Rahayu Saraswati
Popular Vote2:205,309
Percentage2:35.66%
Image3:Pas foto Azizah.jpg
Candidate3:Siti Nur Azizah
Party3:Democratic Party (Indonesia)
Running Mate3:Ruhamaben
Popular Vote3:134,682
Percentage3:23.39%
Mayor
Before Election:Airin Rachmi Diany
Before Party:Golkar
After Election:Benyamin Davnie
After Party:Golkar

The 2020 South Tangerang mayoral election was held on 9 December 2020 as part of nationwide local elections to elect the mayor of South Tangerang for a three-year term. The previous election was held in 2015. Sitting vice mayor Benyamin Davnie, supported by just the Golkar party, won the election after defeating coalition-backed candidates Muhamad and Siti Nur Azizah.

Electoral system

The election, like other local elections in 2020, follow the first-past-the-post system where the candidate with the most votes wins the election, even if they do not win a majority.[2] It is possible for a candidate to run uncontested, in which case the candidate is still required to win a majority of votes "against" an "empty box" option. Should the candidate fail to do so, the election will be repeated on a later date.[3]

Candidates

According to electoral regulations, in order to qualify for the election, candidates are required to secure support from a political party or a coalition of parties controlling 10 seats in the South Tangerang Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).[4] Candidates may alternatively demonstrate support to run as an independent in form of photocopies of identity cards, which in South Tangerang's case corresponds to 71,143 copies. No independent candidates registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU).[5]

Incumbent mayor Airin Rachmi Diany had served two terms as mayor, and was therefore ineligible to contest the election.[6]

Official

The following are candidates which took part in the election, with their ballot numbers and supporting parties:[7]

Ballot numberCandidateRunning mateEndorsing partiesSeat count[8]
1Rahayu Saraswati (Gerindra)PDI-P
Gerindra
PSI
PAN
bgcolor=
2 (Demokrat) (PKS)PKS
Demokrat
PKB
3bgcolor=Benyamin Davnie (Golkar) (Golkar)Golkar
Muhamad, who was city secretary of South Tangerang until his resignation to run in the election, ran with Rahayu Saraswati, a Gerindra Party politician formerly a member of the House of Representatives between 2014 and 2019. Saraswati was also the nephew of Gerindra's chairman Prabowo Subianto. The pair received the endorsement of Gerindra, PDI-P, Hanura, PAN, and PSI from the DPRD, in addition to four other parties not in the DPRD.[9] [10]

Siti Nur Azizah is a daughter of Vice President of Indonesia Ma'ruf Amin, and deputy secretary general in the Democratic Party.[11] Prior to the election, she had run for a seat in the House of Representatives as an United Development Party candidate, and had worked for 15 years in the Ministry of Religious Affairs beforehand.[12] [13] Her running mate, Ruhamaben from the Prosperous Justice Party, is a former aeronautical engineer who had served in South Tangerang's legislature as its deputy speaker. They were supported by PKS, the Democratic Party, and PKB.[14]

Incumbent two-term vice mayor Benyamin Davnie ran with the support of Golkar and three parties not represented in the city's DPRD. Prior to becoming vice mayor, Davnie had been a bureaucrat in Tangerang's government since 1980 before becoming South Tangerang's vice mayor when the city was split off. His running mate, Pilar Saga Ichsan, is an architect active in the city's development projects with family ties to former Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah.[15]

Campaign

Media outlets described the election as a contest between three political dynasties: those of Prabowo Subianto, Ma'ruf Amin, and of Ratu Atut Chosiyah.[16] [17] [18] [19]

Issues raised in the election included the city's traffic jams, flooding and water quality issues, garbage problems due to lack of a landfill, limited connection of the city's public transit to Jakarta, and high unemployment.[17]

Polling

Poll source Date Sample size Muhamad Siti Benyamin
SMRC[20] August 2020 410 20.8% 10.5% 39.3%
Indikator October 2020 820 26.7% 13.1% 33.9%

Aftermath

Analysts attributed Benyamin and Pilar's victory to their affiliation with the incumbent mayor Airin Rachmi, with Benyamin having explicitly campaigned for the continuation of her programs.[21] [22] Both losing candidates filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court of Indonesia, which summarily rejected the lawsuit citing the large margin of victory.[23] Davnie and Pilar were sworn in as mayor and vice mayor on 26 April 2021.[24]

Notes and References

  1. News: Pagi Ini, Benyamin-Pilar Dilantik Jadi Wali Kota dan Wakil Wali Kota Tangsel . 29 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 25 April 2021 . id.
  2. News: Pilkada Hanya Satu Putaran . 20 May 2024 . kedaikopi.co . 22 July 2020 . id.
  3. News: Mardika . Nando Yussele . Jika Kotak Kosong Menang, Pilkada Akan Diulang? . 16 April 2024 . hukumonline.com . 5 November 2020 . id.
  4. News: Budiman . Aditya . KPU Tak Bisa Ubah Ambang Batas Pencalonan di Pilkada 2020 . 29 May 2024 . Tempo . 3 August 2020 . id.
  5. News: KPU Tangsel Pastikan Tak Ada Calon Independen di Pilkada 2020 . 29 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 24 February 2020 . id.
  6. News: Kholisdinuka . Alfi . Daftar ke KPUD, Petahana Calon Wali Kota Tangsel Ungkit Pencapaian . 5 June 2024 . detiknews . 5 September 2020 . id-ID.
  7. News: Profil Calon Wali Kota-Wakil Wali Kota Tangsel, 3 Kandidat Terafiliasi Elite Politik . 29 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 9 December 2020 . id.
  8. News: Inilah Daftar Nama 50 Anggota DPRD Tangsel Periode 2019-2024 . 29 May 2024 . Kabar Tangsel . 29 August 2019 . id.
  9. News: Muhamad-Rahayu Saraswati Resmi Daftar Calon Wali Kota Tangsel . 29 May 2024 . CNN Indonesia . 4 September 2020 . id-ID.
  10. News: Sara Ponakan Prabowo, Gagal ke DPR Kini Maju Pilkada Tangsel . 29 May 2024 . CNN Indonesia . 4 September 2020 . id-ID.
  11. News: Alfons . Matius . Sitti Nur Azizah Putri Ma'ruf Amin Jabat Wasekjen, Demokrat: Memenuhi Kriteria . 30 May 2024 . detiknews . 16 April 2020 . id-ID.
  12. News: Profil Caleg Pemilu 2019: Siti Nur Azizah, Caleg DPR-RI Dapil Jawa Timur III dari PPP . 30 May 2024 . Kumparan . 15 December 2018 . id-ID.
  13. News: Siti Nur Azizah, Putri Wapres yang Rela Lepaskan Status ASN demi Jadi Wali Kota Tangsel . 30 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 30 October 2020 . id.
  14. News: Duet Siti Nur Azizah-Ruhama Ben di Pilkada Tangsel, ASN dan Insinyur Pesawat yang Terjun ke Panggung Politik . 30 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 23 July 2020 . id.
  15. News: Tarung Sengit di Pilwalkot Tangsel: Keluarga Prabowo, Ma'ruf, dan Ratu Atut . 5 June 2024 . Kumparan . 9 September 2020 . id-ID.
  16. News: Perang 3 Dinasti Berebut Tangsel di Pilkada . 5 June 2024 . CNN Indonesia . 26 September 2020 . id-ID.
  17. News: Pilkada Tangsel 2020, Dinasti Politik, dan Pekerjaan Rumah yang Menanti . 5 June 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 20 November 2020 . id.
  18. News: Rifa'i . Bahtiar . Pertarungan 3 Klan Dinasti Politik Lokal-Nasional di Pilkada Tangsel . 5 June 2024 . detiknews . 22 July 2020 . id-ID.
  19. News: Kota Tangerang Selatan dilirik tiga dinasti politik, bagaimana peran ketokohan dalam berkampanye di tengah pandemi? . 5 June 2024 . BBC News Indonesia . 4 December 2020 . id.
  20. News: Hasil Survei Pilkada Tangsel 2020 Menurut 4 Lembagai Survei . 5 June 2024 . Tribunnews.com . 3 December 2020 . id-ID.
  21. News: Asosiasi ke Airin Dinilai Kunci Kemenangan Benyamin-Pilar di Tangsel . 5 June 2024 . detiknews . 9 December 2020 . id-ID.
  22. News: Benyamin-Pilar Janji Lanjutkan Kerja Airin Rachmi Diany di Tangsel . 5 June 2024 . detiknews . 30 November 2020 . id-ID.
  23. News: Akhir Sengketa Pilkada Tangsel Setelah MK Tolak Permohonan Muhamad-Sara... . 29 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 18 February 2021 . id.
  24. News: Pagi Ini, Benyamin-Pilar Dilantik Jadi Wali Kota dan Wakil Wali Kota Tangsel . 29 May 2024 . KOMPAS.com . 25 April 2021 . id.