2024 South Papua gubernatorial election
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The 2024 South Papua gubernatorial election was held on 27 November 2024 as part of nationwide local elections to elect the governor of South Papua for a five-year term. It was the first gubernatorial election for the province since its formation in 2022.[1] Apolo Safanpo won the election with 51% of the vote, defeating three other candidates. Former Merauke Regent Romanus Mbaraka of the NasDem Party placed second, receiving 25%.
The election, like other local elections in 2024, 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 were required to secure support from a political party or a coalition of parties controlling 7 seats in the South Papua House of Representatives (DPRP). The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, which won 7 seats in the 2024 legislative election, is the only political party eligible to nominate a gubernatorial candidate without forming a coalition.[4] Candidates may alternatively demonstrate support in form of photocopies of identity cards, however, no such candidates registered with the General Elections Commission in South Papua until the provided deadline.[5] Furthermore, due to Papuan special autonomy, both the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidates are required to be native Papuan – with at least one parent being an Indigenous Papuan.[6]
Potential
The following are individuals who have either been publicly mentioned as a potential candidate by a political party in the DPRP, publicly declared their candidacy with press coverage, or considered as a potential candidate by media outlets:
- Apolo Safanpo, former acting governor and academic.[7][8]
- Nikolaus Kondomo, former acting governor of Highland Papua.[9]
- Romanus Mbaraka (NasDem), former regent of Merauke and chairman of NasDem's South Papua branch.[10]