Welcoming the Election of Candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor of East Java, Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Madiun, as well as Candidates for Regent and Deputy Regent of Madiun in 2024, the Civics Study Program Student Association (HMPS) and the Student Executive Board (BEM) of Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA) held a socialisation and talk show entitled ‘Pilkada 2024: Realising Smart and Participatory Voters’. The activity, which was held on Friday, 20/09/2024, yesterday, at Graha Cendekia UNIPMA, was fully supported by the General Election Commission (KPU) of Madiun Regency, and was attended by around 400 participants consisting of students, academicians, and the general public.

The event was opened with a socialisation session filled by the Madiun Regency KPU, represented by Ibu Luki Noviana Yuliasari from the Socialisation, Voter Education, Community Participation and Human Resources Division. In her presentation, Mrs Luki explained in detail the stages of the 2024 elections and the importance of the role of the community, especially young voters, in ensuring the implementation of honest and fair elections. She emphasised that the active participation of the community, especially students as new voters, is crucial in determining the future of the region.

The talk show session continued by presenting the main speaker, UNIPMA Professor, Prof. Parji, M.Pd. which was sparked by the Vice President of Students, Haidar Fillah. In the discussion, Prof. Parji emphasised the importance of integrity and transparency in every stage of Pilkada implementation. He also underlined the role of students as agents of change who are expected not only to participate in elections, but also to oversee the democratic process in order to avoid fraudulent practices.

According to Asriani Ayu Wulandari, Chief Executive of the PPKN Study Programme, this activity not only aims to provide knowledge about the election process, but also invites students and the community to discuss strategic issues related to elections. ‘We hope that this activity can build awareness of the importance of electing trustworthy and qualified leaders. In addition, this event also opens a space for dialogue between students and the community with competent speakers in their fields,’ said Asriani.

Furthermore, Asriani added that this socialisation is expected to increase the participation of UNIPMA students as young voters. ‘As new voters, a comprehensive understanding of Pilkada is very important to encourage them to play an active role in the election process,’ she added.

With the implementation of this activity, the committee hopes that the wider community, especially UNIPMA students, can better understand the benefits of Pilkada and contribute to improving the quality of elections in Madiun City, Madiun Regency and East Java Province in 2024.

Smart and participatory elections are a common hope in order to achieve leaders who are able to bring positive changes to the region. This activity is an important first step in educating and building awareness of young voters about their role in the democratic process.