JAKARTA - Heavy storms and severe flooding did not dampen the spirits of millions of Indonesians as they ushered in “pesta demokrasi”, or “festival of democracy”, by casting their votes in the country’s simultaneous national and local elections on Feb 14.

Indonesians visited about 800,000 polling stations across the archipelago, as they voted to have their voices heard on whom they want as their next president and vice-president, as well as executive and legislative representatives.

Some 205 million Indonesians were eligible to vote in this election, but it is not known how many of them have voted so far.

Polling got off to a slow start in Jakarta, with thunderstorms causing floods in parts of the capital.

Jakarta-based architect Jesslyn, who is in her 30s and whose name has only one word, like some Indonesians, said she waited for about an hour at home for the rain to subside before leaving to vote at around 9am.

But not everyone was as lucky as Ms Jesslyn, as the weather forced some Indonesians to adjust their plans to vote.

In Demak regency in Central Java, the election authorities postponed voting in about 10 villages after more than 100 polling stations were affected by severe floods. Under Indonesian law, voting can be postponed to no later than 10 days after Polling Day.

Flooding was also reported in other parts of Indonesia, including Lampung in Sumatra and Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara, where polling stations had to be relocated and officials had to move voting materials.

Photos circulating on social media showed officials carrying voting boxes over their heads as they waded through waist-high water.

For the most part, however, voting was relatively smooth throughout the day, as the more than five million volunteers from the General Elections Commission made sure that as few people as possible ran into issues.

When voters were stuck in queues and had to wait for hours for their turn, some sought shelter under umbrellas. But the mood was generally cheerful and positive. The crowds followed instructions and waited patiently until they could cast their vote and then go about their day.

President Joko Widodo told reporters that Polling Day was a “festival of democracy”, after casting his ballot at a polling station in Gambir in Central Jakarta.

He added: “We hope this will truly be a festival for the people and will take place honestly and fairly, and will be participated with joy by all Indonesians. I hope the election will go smoothly and people will be able to exercise their right to vote.”

Some polling stations went the extra mile. In a nod to how Feb 14 was not just Polling Day but also Valentine’s Day, a polling station in Solo in Central Java was decked out in pink, with roses tied to ballot boxes.

Not to be outdone, another polling station in Bogor, West Java, had a wedding theme, complete with chairs and pillars draped in satin cloth and a chandelier hanging overhead.

Voting was made to be as inclusive as possible, with staff standing by to assist those with special needs. Officials even made sure that voting could be done in prisons, like Salemba prison in Jakarta, which saw more than 1,500 voters casting their ballot.

When asked how the inmates had received information to decide whom to vote for, Mr Beni Hidayat, 44, head of Salemba prison, said: “The inmates often gather at the recreation room every day to watch television. They learn about the elections from there.”

Staff at voting stations were quick to explain to the confused or the elderly how to vote, which in Indonesia involves using a nail to puncture ballot papers and then dipping one’s finger in indelible ink as a sign that one has voted.

Proudly brandishing her inked pinky, Miss Nevissa Sabrina, 19, a student at Diponegoro University in Central Java, had made a six-hour journey back to her home town near Jakarta to vote.

Clad in a white shirt, she said she was enthusiastic about voting and had prepared an outfit just for the day. “Certain colours are often associated with certain candidates. To be honest, the colour I picked matches the colour associated with my (favoured) presidential candidate,” she said, referring to Mr Anies Baswedan.

Not everyone was in a rush to wash the ink off their fingers, as it entitled them to election-themed offers and discounts in shops and malls across the country.

For instance, bookshop chain Kinokuniya offered discounts of up to 20 per cent to those who could show they had voted.

Pictures of inked fingers also sprouted all over Indonesian social media, with young voters, many of them first-timers, taking the opportunity to flaunt them in selfies and group photos.

More than half of the electorate are aged 17 to 40.

Miss Olivia Kamal, a 30-year-old restaurant owner, said she felt compelled to vote because she wanted to counter the view of some of her friends that their voices did not matter.

“They think, whoever they vote for, there won’t be any significant change. But for me, my participation (in the elections), although there is no perfect presidential candidate or legislative candidate, will at least be one step towards a better Indonesia in the future,” she said. “My vote counts, no matter how small. A small contribution is still a contribution.”

The hashtag #pemilu2024, which means 2024 General Election, started trending on social media platform X.

Instagram released special election-themed stickers, and Google prepared a unique Google Doodle to commemorate the polls, widely seen as the world’s biggest single-day election.

The turnout might have been massive, but save for a few isolated incidents, everything proceeded smoothly owing to the widespread presence of security personnel.

The Indonesian National Police said it had begun deploying more than 195,000 officers across the country from Feb 13 to guard polling stations and keep the peace.

In Jakarta alone, more than 7,000 security officers were deployed.

The capital had seen riots in previous elections, and security on Feb 14 was enhanced. Armoured vehicles were on standby, in a sign that the authorities stood ready to respond to any incident.

Mr Jimmy Rogers, 41, who owns a car showroom, waited for two hours to vote but had no complaints, as he felt the process was smooth.

“Everything went well today and it’s all good. We have had officials and volunteers attend to us from the start to the end,” he said.

• Additional reporting by Samuel Ruby