JAKARTA – About 205 million Indonesians will head to the polls on Feb 14 to choose the country’s next president and vice-president. The national parliamentary elections will also take place on the same day.

Here are some interesting facts about the upcoming vote.

1. Election mascots

Did you know that the mascots for the Indonesian elections are a pair of Bali starlings named Sura and Sulu?

Sura, the male songbird, derives his name from “suara rakyat”, which means “voice of the people” in Bahasa Indonesia. The female mascot’s name is a compound of “suara pemilu” or “voice of the election”. 

2. Voting with nails

Instead of indicating their choice with a pen, voters use a nail to punch a hole on the ballot slip.

This is seen as a way to prevent election fraud and is so ingrained in the culture that the Indonesian word for voting is “coblos”, which literally means “to punch”.

Each voter will have his finger inked to indicate that he has voted.

Votes are counted in public at each polling station, and each ballot paper is held up for observers to see light shining through the hole.

3. Communal voting

Did you know that in some parts of Papua, an isolated far-eastern region of Indonesia with difficult terrain, voters use a communal voting system?

Known as noken, named after the Papuan traditional woven bag, the proxy voting system entails tribal chiefs submitting ballot papers according to the number of voters represented.

The community groups would have deliberated and decided which candidate they would collectively vote for the day before the election.

4. Rain, rain go away

Rain shamans, or pawang hujan, are a mainstay at major outdoor events in Indonesia, in a superstitious practice to ensure good weather.

This is no different in the election run-up, and candidates’ campaign teams and political parties have reportedly engaged shamans to delay or divert rain at their outdoor rallies. 

5. Seeing double?

In a country of 280 million people, there’re bound to be doppelgangers for the presidential candidates.

Community leader Arie Budiarto from Banten in West Java shot to fame for his close resemblance to Mr Ganjar Pranowo, down to their heads of white hair.

Similarly, fried rice seller Wasil Afin from Wonosobo in Central Java went viral for his likeness to Mr Anies Baswedan.

Netizens have also commented on how a baby from a television commercial in 2019 reminded them of Mr Prabowo Subianto.

6. Sing and support

Did you know that each presidential candidate pair has an official theme song?

Here they are. Enjoy!

The theme song for Prabowo-Gibran is Oke Gas, Prabowo Gibran Paling Pas.

The theme song for Ganjar-Mahfud is Salam Metal.

The theme song for Anies-Muhaimin is Amin Aja Dulu.

7. Election musical

An Indonesian theatre group staged the politically themed musical Polarisasi (Polarisation) earlier in February.

Running for three days at the Graha Bhakti Budaya theatre in central Jakarta, it depicted five students navigating the challenges of the election, and how the hustings end up dividing the country.

The show, which was nearly three hours long, featured original songs, dances and set designs.

8. Discount fever

Capitalising on election fervour, restaurants and shops across Indonesia are offering election-related promotions to drum up business during rallies and hustings.

Some have also promised discounts if customers flash their inked finger, which shows that they have voted. Others like Pepper Lunch have become quite creative.

The popular restaurant chain is offering a “first-time voter” discount of 20 per cent off a meal to those aged between 17 and 21, from Feb 1 to 14.