Evaluating Electoral District Formation and Seat Allocation: Proportionality and Vote Equality in West Java 2024

Abstract

In a democratic system, the allocation of seats and the formation of electoral districts (dapil), or electoral districts, are crucial to ensuring equal votes and proportional representation. Due to uneven population growth dynamics, West Java, the most populous province in Indonesia, faces challenges in maintaining balanced representation across regions. The purpose of this study is to explain the formation of electoral districts and the allocation of seats in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) in West Java Province for the 2024 General Election and to evaluate the extent to which these configurations reflect proportional representation and equal vote value among voters. The study was conducted using a qualitative methodology and a descriptive-evaluative approach. Legislation, General Elections Commission (KPU) decisions, population data, and relevant scientific literature served as sources of documentation and bibliography. Using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, data analysis was conducted through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results indicate that the formation of eleven electoral districts in West Java, with an allocation of 91 DPR RI seats, complies with legal provisions and generally meets the principle of proportionality. However, to achieve more equal and fair political representation, regular evaluation of the arrangement of electoral districts and seat allocation is necessary. This shows that the ratio of voters to the number of seats is still far from equal, which indicates that the principle of equal vote value has not been fully implemented.