Organizing Quality and Healthy Election Amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: Election Health Protocol Policies and Neutrality of State Civil Servants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Indonesian government decided to keep organizing the Head of the Region Elections amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Its organization is heavily questioned by the public, considering that such events may increase the chance of virus infection. The public also has concerns over the neutrality of the state civil apparatus. METHODS: This is juridical normative research that uses literature review. This descriptive-qualitative research uses primary and secondary data sources. The data are collected using statute and literature approaches. RESULTS: To answer the public’s concern on the pandemic, the government formulated health protocols in organizing the general election. Then, regarding the neutrality of the state civil apparatus, the government stated that the neutrality principle still applies. This research shows that many health protocols were violated by the General Election Commission, Polling Station Committee, and voters, thus increasing the number of COVID-19 infections at the election regions. The neutrality of public servant was violated by some of public servant but if the violation goes viral then would be sanctioned. CONCLUSION: These violations are often not followed up according to the regulation, but the violators were only warned. Then, in the case of the neutrality of the state civil apparatus in the general elections, there is state civil apparatus who is not neutral in this event.