Published: 16:44, November 27, 2024
Indonesia holds first nationwide simultaneous regional elections
By Xinhua
A man holds his ballot papers before casting his vote during the local executive elections to elect governors, mayors and regents in Indonesia's Darul Imarah, on the outskirts of Banda Aceh on Nov 27, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

JAKARTA - Indonesia held local elections on Wednesday to select governors, mayors, and regents, marking the country's first-ever simultaneous elections across all regions.

The elections were conducted in the country's 37 provinces, 93 cities, and 415 regencies, spanning over 17,000 islands and three different time zones. More than 204 million voters cast their ballots at polling stations to elect a total of 545 pairs of candidates.

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Voting began at 7 am Jakarta time and concluded at 1 pm, with vote counting starting immediately and expected to continue until Dec 16.

Indonesia's election commission has not yet announced the specific dates to release the results. However, the inauguration of elected governors and vice governors is scheduled for Feb 7, 2025, while mayors, regents, and their deputies are set to be sworn in on Feb. 10.