The Importance of Neutrality in Elections

Oct 13, 2025 by windailys.com 27 views

Introduction

The principle of neutrality is a cornerstone of democratic elections, ensuring that the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) remains impartial and non-partisan in their duties. However, in the 2020 regional head election in Asahan Regency, several ASNs were found to have taken non-neutral actions against candidate pairs. This study aims to analyze the extent of ASN neutrality in the election and the factors that contribute to violations of this principle.

The Importance of Neutrality in Elections

Neutrality is a fundamental principle that must be upheld by all ASNs during regional head elections. According to Max Weber's bureaucratic theory, ASNs are expected to remain impartial and non-partisan in their duties. Similarly, Amin's neutrality theory emphasizes that neutrality means not being involved in politics. The principle of neutrality is essential to ensure that regional head elections are conducted fairly and transparently.

Research Methodology

This study employs a qualitative approach with descriptive analysis, allowing researchers to collect data through observations and interviews in the field. The main focus of this thesis is to identify the phenomenon of violations of ASN neutrality in the Regional Head Election of Asahan Regency in 2020.

Research Findings

The results of this study revealed a lack of neutrality among ASNs in Asahan Regency, with eight ASNs found to have committed violations. Data collected through observation and interviews provided a clear picture of the situation in the field.

Factors Contributing to Neutrality Violations

Several factors were identified as contributing to neutrality violations among ASNs:

Joint Factors

ASNs in strategic positions often feel that they have more influence in the political process, which can encourage them to take an attitude to support certain pairs of candidates.

Factors in the Common Group

Similarities in political affiliation or interests among ASNs can trigger non-neutral actions. When ASNs have an emotional bond or mutual interest with one of the candidates, they tend to ignore the principle of neutrality.

Barriers to the Application of Neutrality

This study also found that the application of neutrality rules for ASNs faced various obstacles, including:

Internal Constraints

Some ASNs themselves do not understand or ignore the importance of neutrality in regional head elections.

Optimal Supervision System

Supervision carried out by the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the State Civil Apparatus Commission (KASN) is still deemed less effective in preventing violations.

Community Understanding

The still low understanding of the community regarding the importance of ASN neutrality has the potential to trigger actions that are not in accordance with this principle.

The Absence of the Budget for Supervision

The absence of a special budget for the supervision of ASN neutrality in the regional head election is one of the obstacles in enforcing the rules.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this research, it is recommended that ASN voting rights be revoked to prevent conflicts of interest in the regional head election. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen sanctions for ASNs who violate the principle of neutrality. With these steps, it is hoped that the neutrality of ASNs can be maintained and regional head elections can take place more fairly and transparently.

Conclusion

Through this research, it is essential to continue evaluating the existing systems and regulations, so that the neutrality of ASNs in general elections is not only a jargon, but is truly applied in practice. The findings of this study highlight the importance of maintaining ASN neutrality in regional head elections and provide recommendations for improving the application of this principle.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations, including:

The study only focused on the 2020 regional head election in Asahan Regency.
The study only collected data through observations and interviews.
The study did not conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing regulations and systems related to ASN neutrality.

Future Research Directions

Future research should aim to:

Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing regulations and systems related to ASN neutrality.
Collect data from multiple sources, including surveys and focus groups.
Conduct a comparative study of ASN neutrality in different regions.

By addressing these limitations and expanding the scope of the study, future research can provide a more comprehensive understanding of ASN neutrality in regional head elections.

Q: What is the principle of neutrality in the context of ASN?

A: The principle of neutrality refers to the obligation of ASNs to remain impartial and non-partisan in their duties, particularly during regional head elections.

Q: Why is neutrality important in regional head elections?

A: Neutrality is essential to ensure that regional head elections are conducted fairly and transparently. It prevents ASNs from influencing the outcome of the election and maintains public trust in the electoral process.

Q: What are the factors that contribute to neutrality violations among ASNs?

A: Several factors contribute to neutrality violations among ASNs, including joint factors (e.g., ASNs in strategic positions), factors in the common group (e.g., similarities in political affiliation or interests), internal constraints (e.g., lack of understanding or ignorance of the importance of neutrality), and external factors (e.g., inadequate supervision and community understanding).

Q: What are the barriers to the application of neutrality among ASNs?

A: The application of neutrality among ASNs faces several barriers, including internal constraints (e.g., lack of understanding or ignorance of the importance of neutrality), optimal supervision system (e.g., inadequate supervision), community understanding (e.g., low understanding of the importance of ASN neutrality), and the absence of the budget for supervision.

Q: What are the recommendations for improving ASN neutrality in regional head elections?

A: The recommendations include revoking ASN voting rights to prevent conflicts of interest, strengthening sanctions for ASNs who violate the principle of neutrality, and improving the supervision system to prevent neutrality violations.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: The study has several limitations, including:

The study only focused on the 2020 regional head election in Asahan Regency.
The study only collected data through observations and interviews.
The study did not conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing regulations and systems related to ASN neutrality.

Q: What are the future research directions for this study?

A: Future research should aim to:

Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing regulations and systems related to ASN neutrality.
Collect data from multiple sources, including surveys and focus groups.
Conduct a comparative study of ASN neutrality in different regions.

Q: What are the implications of this study for policy and practice?

A: The study highlights the importance of maintaining ASN neutrality in regional head elections and provides recommendations for improving the application of this principle. The findings of this study can inform policy and practice to ensure that regional head elections are conducted fairly and transparently.

Q: What are the potential consequences of failing to maintain ASN neutrality?

A: Failing to maintain ASN neutrality can lead to a loss of public trust in the electoral process, undermine the legitimacy of the regional head election, and create an uneven playing field for candidates.

Q: What are the potential benefits of maintaining ASN neutrality?

A: Maintaining ASN neutrality can ensure that regional head elections are conducted fairly and transparently, maintain public trust in the electoral process, and create a level playing field for candidates.