Rethinking Simultaneous Elections Following Constitutional Court Decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024: Integrating Electoral Justice and Democratic Design for Strengthening Regional Autonomy
Abstract
Decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024 of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia introduces significant changes to Indonesia’s electoral system by separating the Simultaneous National Elections from the Simultaneous Regional Elections. This decision stems from an evaluation of the five-box simultaneous elections in 2019 and 2024, which raised systemic issues, particularly the overlap of election stages, resulting in an excessive workload for organizers. This study combined perspectives on electoral justice and democratic design to assess how restructuring simultaneous elections not only ensures fair competition and protects voting rights but also fosters an effective, representative, and constitutional system of government. This study aims to analyze how Constitutional Court Decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024 reorients the electoral system within the framework of a unitary state and its implications for local democracy and regional autonomy. The research employed a juridical-normative approach, incorporating statutory, case-based, and conceptual elements through an examination of election-related legislation, an analysis of Constitutional Court decisions, and a conceptual study of local democracy, electoral justice, and the institutional design of democracy. The research findings indicate that Constitutional Court Decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024 promotes the separation of national elections and regional elections to enhance electoral justice and the quality of democracy. This design reduces administrative complexity, administrative burden, and voter fatigue, while encouraging more rational choices and political accountability. However, the successful implementation of this new design faces significant institutional risks, particularly regarding the unresolved transition mechanism and the potential for a prolonged administrative vacuum before 2027.