This year Timor Leste held presidential elections in two rounds. From the voting on March 19, 2022 and April 19, 2022, a number of citizens experienced obstacles to exercise their right to vote. Evaluation of the voting rights service must be carried out because next Timor Leste will hold parliamentary elections.
“The results of the first election on March 19, 2022, there were around 77.26% of voters. Men 51% and women 48%. And in the second round of April 19, 2022, the total voter turnout was 75.17%. Men are 51.70% and women 48.30%,” said the President of the Comisso Nacional de Eleições (CNE), Jose Agustino Belo at the CNE office, Larigutu, Dili, Timor Leste. (04/27/2022).
From the election participation rate, there was a 2% decrease. In international standards, elections above 70% have passed the average voter turnout. He emphasized that in Timor Leste voting is a right, not an obligation. However, in Timor Leste citizens to be able to exercise their right to vote must register.
On the same occasion, CNE Secretary Odéte Maria Belo said that, of the 859,925 citizens registered as voters for the Second Round of the 2022 Timor Leste Presidential Election, there were 646,389 who exercised their right to vote. Of them 312,212 voters were women and the remaining 334,177 voters were men. There were 3,734 invalid votes, 1,643 of which were blank votes.
The results of the Second Round of the 2022 Timor Leste Presidential Election, Jose Ramos Horta received more than 50% of the votes. Candidate number 1 got 398,028 (62.1%) votes. While candidate number 2, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo only got 242,939 (37.9%) votes.
Voting service problem
One of the residents who could not exercise their right to vote was named Joāo Sarmento. The location of the polling station which is very far from where he lives is the reason.
“I am an ordinary person, and I am not happy with the current electoral system. The previous election system was better because we who live anywhere can participate in voting in elections,” said Joao, Kampung Alor, Dili, Timor-Leste, (06/14/2022).
To exercise their right to vote, citizens must go to a polling station (TPS) which is located very far from a number of residents' residences. Many residents lacked money to pay for transportation to the polling stations. The owners of sovereignty in this democracy have lost hope of choosing the election participants who they think are the best from other participants.
Another voter, Jelina Martins da Silva, revealed that she did not use her right to vote either for reasons of transportation to the polling station. She was worried that she would not be able to return to her village because of the expensive transportation costs.
“One of the reasons I didn't participate in the election is because the oil market is on the rise. Transportation costs have also gone up. I only voted once in the First Round,” said Jelina, Tuti Village, Comoros, Dili, Timor Leste (05/07/2022).
Basically, Jelina has two reasons why she did not exercise her right to vote in the election. First, presidential candidates and election administrators do not provide transportation from their regions to polling stations. Second, as a youth, the high cost of voting also has no impact on the employment and economic conditions of the Timor Leste citizens.
Another resident, Leonizo Mariz, added that he did not participate in the Second Round of the Presidential Election because his life was still difficult and suffering. To vote, the distance is far and takes a long time. Leonizo is better off not voting because he has to earn money for his daily needs.
“We think what we are doing is not right. This is not part of the solution. However, our decision not to vote is part of public education for our leaders,” said Leonizo, campus of the National University of Timor Leste (UNTL), Caicoli, Dili, Timor Leste (04/25/2022).
According to Leonizo, election participants always promised to create a lot of jobs prepared for young people. They said they would prepare Timor Leste's education or human resources. Leonizo concluded, the leaders did not keep their promises. Why did he spend expensive transportation costs to be able to choose potential leaders who in the previous election results used to break their promises.
Improvements
The voters who are not served their right to vote, suggest a number of improvements for the next election. The closest is the Timor Leste Parliamentary Election.
Joao suggested that the Secretariado Técnico da Administração Eleitoral (STAE) and CNE could improve the voting rights service system. Parliamentary elections are near. Without improving the system, there will be many citizens who do not participate in elections.
“STAE and CNE voting services must be improved. Three parallel voting centers to facilitate the electoral process should be optimized. Do not let residents have to go back and forth to register and vote until they run out of time and money.”
Unlike Jelina. She asked the newly elected president to cooperate with other countries in improving citizen education. The quality of politics is related to the quality of education of its citizens. Improved citizen education will also have an impact on improving welfare.
“I proposed to the new President, if he could help us, who dropped out of school and couldn't continue our studies. Give us a scholarship, so that we can continue our education. Our parents can't afford it," said Jelina.
Leonizo also has a different emphasis. Stakeholders should be able to further reduce their understanding of elections as a waste of state administration. No longer should elections be considered as a government practice wasting money.
According to Leonizo, the people of Timor Leste are still poor, hungry and unemployed. Election participants and organizers should be able to carry out public education so that the process of nomination and election in the general election is not just a festival of democracy that prioritizes a few parties but also for the citizens of Timor Leste. []
CRISTIANA XIMENES BELO
Radio Rakambia, Timor Leste
