Poverty Rates in 17 Provinces Holding Simultaneous Regional Elections in 2018

Seventeen provinces will hold simultaneous regional elections (Pilkada) in 2018. Nine of them have a poverty rate above 10 percent, exceeding the national average of 10.12 percent of the total population. This presents a significant challenge for the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidates competing in the 2018 simultaneous regional elections.

The gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidates in Papua face the most significant challenge in poverty eradication. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik) shows that Papua has the highest poverty rate, with 910,000 people or 27.76 percent of the total population living below the poverty line in September 2017. This is followed by East Nusa Tenggara with a poverty rate of 21.38 percent and Maluku with 18.29 percent.

Provinces in eastern Indonesia dominate the list of 2018 Pilkada participants with the highest poverty rates. However, two provinces on Java Island, Central Java and East Java, also still have poverty rates above the national average. Bali, on the other hand, has the lowest poverty rate.