Peran KPU Kabupaten Bantul dalam Meningkatkan Partisipasi Politik Masyarakat di Masa Pandemi Covid - 19 Pada Pilkada Serentak Tahun 2020

The impact of the Covid - 19 pandemic for the implementation of the 2020 Pilkada
is enormous. The role of the KPU as the organizer of the Pilkada to increase public
participation is very much needed. The purpose of this study was to determine the
extent of the role played by the Bantul Regency Election Commission in increasing
Bantul people's participation in the 2020 elections. The method used was
descriptive qualitative method by conducting interviews and documentation to
obtain data and describe the existing phenomena. In this study, it was found that the
role of the KPU of Bantul Regency in increasing public political participation was
manifested in a research program for planning and updating voter data. Program
planning carried out by the Bantul Regency Election Commission took the form of
political socialization, technical implementation, collaboration with other
stakeholders, and procurement of health protocols. Political socialization is carried
out by offline and online methods, offline methods are realized by conducting
political seminars at schools and online methods by means of pamphlet schemes or
photos using social media. The technical implementation of the KPU of Bantul
Regency is to increase the number of TPS in order to avoid the accumulation of
people in one TPS. Collaborating with stakeholders, the Bantul Regency KPU
embraces the TNI, POLRI & Pol PP to safeguard each of the pilkada series
activities. The provision of health protocols is realized in the form of providing
hand mask sanitizers and providing a place for washing hands in every activity. The
KPU of Bantul Regency also follows every stage and the implementation of
updating voter data incorrectly conducts a quick test for the elected PPDP member.
In addition, in the process of updating data on PPDP member voters who are also
equipped with personal protective equipment and implementing strict health
protocols. With program planning and updating of voter data, it is hoped that the
level of political participation of the Bantul people in the 2020 Pilkada can increase
even in the conditions of the Covid 19 pandemic.