Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Incumbent Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim looks set to win the first-ever direct municipal election, according to preliminary results announced by the municipality's elections commission on Monday.
Wahidin and running mate Arief R. Wismansyah have 572,967 (88.5 percent) of the vote from Sunday's election.
Poll commission chairman Imron Khamami said the commission had counted poll results at 2,000 out of the total 2,273 polling stations throughout the municipality.
"We will soon complete the counting," he told The Jakarta Post.
There were 909,800 registered voters for the election and 90 percent of them cast ballots on Sunday.
Trailing the leading candidates are Muhamad Bonie Mudfijar and his running mate Diedy Farid Wadji, with 65,657 votes (9.2 percent).
Ismet Sadeli Hasan and Mahfud Abdullah trail well behind with 16,596 (1.7 percent) of the votes.
"We will announce the final, official results of the vote on Oct. 30 and the elected mayor will be inaugurated on Nov. 16," said Imron.
Imron added that, as of Monday, the commission had not received any reports of possible election violations.
Moreover, Tangerang Elections Supervisory Body chairman Syafril Elain confirmed his institution had not received any reports concerning violations during either the casting or counting of votes.
"So far, we have received no reports or complaints ... However, we are ready to deal with any reports of possible fraud," he said.
During his inspections of five polling stations, he noticed that three of the stations did not have all their voting booths covered.
"It's unusual, but not considered a violation of the election law," Syafril said.
The poll watch had also received several reports of alleged fraud by supporters of the incumbent, including text messages people received on their cell phones saying voters could cast ballots more than once, as long as they cooperated with the polling stations' working committee, he added.
"There have also been reports of intimidation, money politics and other violations at polling stations before voting began, but we could not process the reports because those who filed complaints could not produce any evidence," he said.
Wahidin and Arief are backed by a coalition of 15 political parties including the Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI-P), the Democratic Party, the United
Development Party (PPP), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Star Crescent Party (PBB), the Reform Star Party (PBR) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Bonie and Diedy are backed by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), while Ismet and Mahfud are running as independent candidates.
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