The 2024 Southwest Papua gubernatorial election was held on 27 November 2024 as part of nationwide local elections to elect the governor of Southwest Papua for a five-year term. It was the first gubernatorial election for the province since its formation in 2022. Asmat Regent Elisa Kambu won the election with 46% of the vote, defeating four other candidates. Abdul Faris Umlati of the Democratic Party placed second, receiving 25%.
Electoral system
The election, like other local elections in 2024, follow the first-past-the-post system where the candidate with the most votes wins the election, even if they do not win a majority. It is possible for a candidate to run uncontested, in which case the candidate is still required to win a majority of votes "against" an "empty box" option. Should the candidate fail to do so, the election will be repeated on a later date.
Candidates
According to electoral regulations, in order to qualify for the election, candidates were required to secure support from a political party or a coalition of parties controlling 7 seats (20 percent of all seats) in the Southwest Papua House of Representatives (DPRPBD). With 8 out of 35 seats from the 2024 legislative election, Golkar is the only party eligible to nominate a gubernatorial candidate without forming coalitions with other parties. Candidates may alternatively demonstrate support to run as an independent in form of photocopies of identity cards, which in Southwest Papua's case corresponds to 40,083 copies. No independent candidates registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU) prior to the set deadline. Furthermore, due to Papuan special autonomy, both the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidates are required to be native Papuan – with at least one parent being an Indigenous Papuan.
Declared
The following are individuals who have been declared by a political party as endorsed candidates:
Potential
The following are individuals who have either been publicly mentioned as a potential candidate by a political party in the DPRPBD, publicly declared their candidacy with press coverage, or considered as a potential candidate by media outlets:
- Lamberthus Jitmau, former two-term mayor of Sorong.
- Abdul Faris Umlati (Demokrat), regent of Raja Ampat and chairman of Demokrat's Southwest Papua branch.
- Gabriel Asem (Perindo), former two-term regent of Tambrauw and chairman of Perindo's Southwest Papua branch.
- Elisa Kambu (PDI-P), two-term regent of Asmat, South Papua.
- Petrus Kasihiw (NasDem), regent of Teluk Bintuni, West Papua and chairman of Nasdem's Southwest Papua branch.
Political map
Following the 2024 Indonesian legislative election, eleven political parties are represented in the DPRPBD: