Under this program, IFES Indonesia organized a nationally televised Rock the Vote concert featuring top Indonesian rock bands, produced and broadcast during primetime on the popular Indonesian television channel TransTV. IFES also worked with Java Jazz Productions to tie voter education messages and materials into a Jamiroquai concert held in Indonesia the day before the legislative elections. Both initiatives delivered important election information to a primary audience of first time voters, and saw celebrities joining election officials to encourage active participation in Indonesia’s democracy.  

Working with local partners across Indonesia, IFES conducted a number of regional activities to raise interest in elections including: outreach and public information events at universities and schools; youth competitions to test electoral knowledge which were simulcast on local radio; and, youth socialization road shows incorporating interactive information sharing and electoral education through music, community youth forums, and voter education activities.

The project also supported critical voter education initiatives meant to dispel confusion about the results of the vote. Because Indonesia’s legislative elections Law 10/2008 presented a complex seat allocation formula, voters, including informed stakeholders, were unlikely to easily understand the process. IFES worked with the KPU to develop a national voter education / public information animated film to explain to voters how individual votes in the legislative elections eventually become seats in the national parliament.

Finally, the project supports the improvement of local election law through regional consultation. Currently IFES is organizing regional roundtable discussions about changes to the law governing regional elections for governors, regents and mayors. This activity supports an important initiative by Indonesian legal drafters to gather regional stakeholder input early in the legal reform process.