Indonesia
Local Executive Elections, 27 November 2024
Volcano eruption, November 2024
Indonesia’s Mount Lewitobi Laki Laki volcano erupted several times between 3 and 7 November 2024, prompting evacuation of thousands of residents to emergency shelters (NASA 2024; Helmstaedt 2024). At least ten people died following the eruptions, 64 were injured, and 10,000 were directly affected (ESA 2024; Herin and Karmini 2024). The eruptions in November were regarded as particularly strong, as the ash reached heights of between 2,000 and 8,000 metres (NASA 2024). The volcano monitoring agency set Laki Laki’s alert status at the highest level, prohibiting all activity in the surrounding area. (Herin and Karmini 2024). The head of the National Disaster Management Agency announced that 16,000 residents would be permanently displaced for a period of six months (Herin and Karmini 2024).
Impact on the electoral process
Indonesia held simultaneous local executive elections on 27 November 2024. A total of 37 polling stations and 13,000 voters were mapped as affected by the eruptions, leading the General Election Commission (KPU) to move the relevant polling stations into evacuation shelters to ensure all voters could exercise their voting rights (Dewi Purnamasari 2024). However, at least 600 people who were evacuated to the shelters were not able to vote due to lack of access to polling stations (Jakarta Post 2024).
Nationwide, voter turnout was 70 per cent (Yunanto, R. 2024; Indra and Gunawan 2024; ANATARA 2024). This is a decrease compared to the 2020 local elections which had a turnout averaging 76 per cent (Nugroho et al. 2021).
Bibliography
ANTARA News, ‘Indonesia's KPU to evaluate low voter turnout in regional elections’, 29 November 2024, < https://en.antaranews.com/news/336397/indonesias-kpu-to-evaluate-low-voter-turnout-in-regional-elections >, accessed 12 October 2025
Dewi Purnamasari, D., ‘13.000 Pemilih Terdampak Erupsi Lewotobi, KPU Kaji Opsi Pindahkan TPS ke Pengungsian’ [13,000 Voters Affected by Lewotobi Eruption, KPU Examines Options for Moving Polling Stations to Evacuation Shelters], Kompas.id, 13 November 2024, < https://www.kompas.id/artikel/13000-pemilih-terdampak-letusan-lewotobi-kpu-kaji-opsi-pindahkan-tps-ke-pengungsian?open_from=Search_Result_Page >, accessed 12 October 2025
European Space Agency (ESA), ‘Earth from Space: “Angry husband” eruption’, 22 November 2024, < https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2024/11/Earth_from_Space_Angry_husband_eruption >, accessed 12 October 2025
Helmstaedt, K., ‘Indonesia volcano eruptions force thousands to flee’ [video], Deutsche Welle, 9 November 2024, < https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-volcano-eruptions-force-thousands-to-flee/video-70743613 >, accessed 12 October 2025
Herin, J. and Karmini, N., ‘Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupts for the second time in a week’, AP News, 7 November 2024, < https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-mount-lewotobi-lakilaki-volcano-eruptions-3a3ca22d200412ebf869fd4dd1ea2b5d >, accessed 12 October 2025
Indra, R. and Gunawan, A., ‘Disasters, political fatigue blamed for regional polls’ low turnouts’, The Jakarta Post, 28 November 2024, < https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/11/28/disasters-political-fatigue-blamed-for-regional-polls-low-turnouts.html >, accessed 12 October 2025
Jakarta Post, The, ‘Disasters prevent millions from casting their votes in Indonesia’s regional head polls’, The Kathmandu Post, 28 November 2024, < https://kathmandupost.com/world/2024/11/28/disasters-prevent-millions-from-casting-their-votes-in-indonesia-s-regional-head-polls >, accessed 12 October 2025
NASA, ‘Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Spews Ash’, 12 October 2024, <https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153549/mount-lewotobi-laki-laki-spews-ash>, accessed 12 October 2025
Nugroho, Y., Kenawas, Y. C. and Syrief, S. S., ‘How the 2020 Pilkada Reflected Major Structural Flaws in Indonesian Politics’, ISEAS Perspective, 2021/5 (2021), <https://www.iseas.edu.sg/articles-commentaries/iseas-perspective/iseas-perspective-2021-5-how-the-2020-pilkada-reflected-major-structural-flaws-in-indonesian-politics-by-yanuar-nugroho-yoes-c-kenawas-and-sofie-s-syarief/>, accessed 12 October 2025
Yunanto, R., ‘Voter Turnout dalam Pilkada Serentak 2024’ [Voter Turnout in the 2024 Simultaneous Regional Elections], iNews.id, 2 December 2024,<https://www.inews.id/news/nasional/voter-turnout-dalam-pilkada-serentak-2024>, accessed 12 October 2025
Volcanic Activity
