Election Heroes
For a few dedicated election officials, the election can literally mean death.
Below the surface, the elections hide uncomfortable truths of punishing labor by millions of poorly paid part-time workers and security forces who break their backs to ensure that every vote is cast and accounted for.
Around 193 million people were scheduled to vote in presidential, legislative and regional elections last Wednesday (17/04) at more than 813,000 polling stations, making it the most complex single-day election in the world.
For most of the workers, it was arguably the hardest task of their lives. Over a span of 24 hours, they had to be on full alert to set up and prepare voting booths, hold the election, count and recount thousands of ballots, and report the results accurately to the General Elections Commission (KPU).
They could not afford to rest, as the slightest deviation from regulations would land them in prison. They barely closed their eyes and sleeping was impossible.
For some workers, the stress and fatigue were too much to handle. Their bodies gave up and they simply collapsed. A moment later they were gone.
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