Defense minister leads Indonesia’s presidential elections in early quick count

ISTANBUL (AA) – Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is in the lead in the initial quick count of votes in the world’s largest single-day election on Wednesday to elect the successor of President Joko Widodo, multiple local media outlets reported.

Initial results indicated that Subianto, who led the pre-poll surveys, is getting close to an outright win, local English daily Jakarta Globe reported, citing independent pollsters.

Pollster Lembaga Survei Indonesia reported that Prabowo Subianto had secured 57.13% of the votes as of 4.17 p.m. (local time). He was followed by Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar (25.55%) and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md. (17.33%).

The quick count polls had collected 59.7% of the votes.

Another quick count by Poltracking Indonesia reported that Subianto was leading with 59.68%, followed by Anies-Muhaimin (23.38%), and Ganjar fell behind by earning 16.94% of the votes.

Tens of millions cast their ballots in a six-hour-long process in the country’s presidential, national, and provincial elections.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0000GMT) amid heavy rain in the capital Jakarta and other parts of the country and closed at 1 p.m. (0600GMT).

However, heavy rains and flooding forced the election authority to delay polls in the Demak regency, Central Java, according to Jakarta Post news website, while some polling stations were damaged due to gusty winds and downpours.

The official results will be announced in the next 35 days.

More than 204 million people were eligible to vote to choose the country’s next president, vice president, and lawmakers for the parliament, as well as members of provincial legislative bodies.

Prabowo Subianto, former Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan are the three frontrunners to succeed President Joko Widodo, popularly known as “Jokowi.”

“This is a celebration of democracy,” Jokowi told reporters before casting his vote, along with first lady Iriana Widodo in the Gambir district of Jakarta.

Baswedan cast his vote at a polling station near his private residence in Lebak Bulus, southern Jakarta.

Pranowo voted in Semarang, the capital of Central Java province, where he served as governor for a decade.

Leading in pre-poll surveys, Subianto cast his ballot in the Hambalang area of West Java province.

No survey has shown any of the three candidates passing the 50% mark to claim the presidency.