Election Supervisory Body Finds Many Polling Stations Unaccessible to People with Disabilities

According to the Indonesian Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), a significant number of polling stations (TPS) were inaccessible to people with disabilities in the 2024 General Election.

Bawaslu monitored 1,571 sample TPS across 156 regencies/cities in 26 provinces. Of these, 430 TPS lacked braille templates for the Regional Representative Council (DPD) ballots.

The absence of braille templates was also found on presidential and vice-presidential ballots in 290 TPS.

Bawaslu attributes this issue to a lack of understanding among the Polling Executive Committee (KPPS) regarding the use of assistive devices, and an assumption that no visually impaired voters were present at their polling stations.

"The lack of braille templates for the DPD ballots is more prevalent because these assistive devices were provided for the first time in this election," Bawaslu stated in its report.

Furthermore, in 362 TPS, the accompanying person for voters with disabilities failed to sign the assistance form.

Additionally, 262 TPS were found to be inaccessible to people with disabilities due to factors such as narrow doorways, surrounding ditches, stairs or high steps, drainage ditches at the entrance, polling stations located on raised platforms, flooding, and other similar obstacles.