The Role of Ethnicity in Regional Head Elections in Indonesia: Does It Matter?
The Role of Ethnicity in Regional Head Elections in Indonesia: Does It Matter?

Summary/Abstract: This paper examines the role of ethnicity in the regional head election in Tebo Regency, Jambi Province, Indonesia in 2017. In this regional head election, there was competition between the two dominant ethnicities in this district. First, the ethnic Jambi who are indigenous people in Tebo Regency. Second, the ethnic Javanese who are immigrants to Tebo Regency through the transmigration program during the New Order era. While in Indonesian local politics, the factor of ethnicity plays a significant role in the process of regional head election, the case is getting more complicated for a region with roughly balanced ethnic composition. By applying a qualitative research method, this paper reveals that ethnic combination of candidates is not enough, but the position represented by the ethnicity seems to be a contributing factor in provoking inter-ethnic competition, especially when there was a rising view in society that the role of the regent is more significant than the position of vice-regent.

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