Indonesia election: How Prabowo's big night unfolded

JAKARTA -- Indonesians cast their ballots Wednesday to choose the successor to Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in the world's largest direct presidential vote.

Pre-election opinion surveys showed Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, 72, was leading the contest over his two rivals, former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan, 54, and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo, 55. The predictions held up on election night, as Prabowo raced into a commanding lead in unofficial quick counts.

Be sure to check out the rest of our election coverage, including these highlights:

Prabowo claims victory in Indonesian election based on unofficial counts

Indonesia set to elect next president: 5 things to know

Jokowi faces backlash over support for Prabowo's presidential bid

Indonesia's new capital hinges on election as Jokowi set to exit

Indonesian election highlights young voters' employment concerns

Here's how the election unfolded (Jakarta time):

Thursday, Feb. 15

3:00 p.m. Here's one more look at the unofficial results from major pollsters as we close this timeline-style report. Nikkei Asia will continue to cover the aftermath of the election. For more on Prabowo, read this profile we published earlier. Stay with us for all our Indonesia election coverage.

12:00 p.m. The official tally from the General Elections Commission shows Prabowo leading with 56.4% of the vote, followed by Anies at 24.6% and Ganjar at 19%. The figures represent results from 42% of the more than 820,000 total polling stations.

11:30 p.m. Indonesia's Elections Supervisory Body, Bawaslu, reports cases where voters and officials at around 3,700 polling stations were intimidated to vote or work in favor of certain candidates. It does not say which candidates benefited. There were over 820,000 polling stations across the country.

Bawaslu officials in a press briefing say they also found cases where voters cast ballots twice at 2,400 polling stations. Election supervisors and witnesses representing some candidates were not given access to local tallies in nearly 2,000 polling stations.

Rival camps raised allegations of electoral fraud after unofficial quick count results showed Prabowo winning a majority vote.

10:20 a.m. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo says the election quick counts are done according to a "scientific method" but stresses, "We have to wait for official results" from the elections commission.

Making his first public comments since Wednesday's quick counts showed Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto winning the presidency easily, Jokowi says he has met with and congratulated his cabinet member and former rival.

Responding to allegations of election fraud by Prabowo's opponents, the president says there are "layers of oversight" to reduce the possibility of rigging, including witnesses for each ticket installed at each of the more than 820,000 polling stations across the country. "However if [cases of fraud still] happen, there is a trial mechanism through Bawaslu," an acronym for the Elections Supervisory Body, and the Constitutional Court. "Just bring the evidence," Jokowi says.

9:20 a.m. Despite Prabowo's commanding lead in the presidential vote, based on the unofficial quick counts, his Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) has fallen short of expectations with just around 13% to 14% of the vote in similar counts for the national legislative election.

That puts Gerindra in third place in Wednesday's vote, with 70% to 90% of samples accounted for -- behind the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) with 16% to 17% and the Golkar Party with 14% to 15%. The PDI-P supports Ganjar, while Golkar is Gerindra's coalition partner backing Prabowo.

Opinion polls in recent weeks had Gerindra almost tied with the PDI-P at nearly 20%.

9:00 a.m. The Jakarta Composite Index rises 1.8% as the market opens on Thursday morning, after Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto's apparent presidential victory based on quick count results. The stock market was closed on Wednesday as the government declared election day a public holiday.

1:12 a.m. The world's biggest single-day election saw nearly 259,000 candidates and 18 parties contest 20,600 posts across the Indonesian archipelago of 17,000 islands. The U.S. State Department called the vote "a testament to the durability and strength of the Indonesian people's commitment to the democratic process."

A coalition of parties backing Prabowo had about 42% of votes in the contest for national legislative seats, according to the unofficial counts, while an alliance behind Anies had 27%, indicating a potential Prabowo government could have strong parliamentary backing.

Wednesday, Feb. 14

Supporters listen to Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto's speech in Jakarta on Feb. 14, after quick counts pointed to him winning in one round. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

10:00 p.m. Indonesia's election commission says additional voting could take place at 668 polling stations as flooding in Java and other areas, as well as the lack of ballots, prevented some people from voting.

The commission has not said how many voters will be eligible. The move is not expected to affect the outcome of the presidential election.

8:20 p.m. Gibran Rakabuming, speaking after Prabowo, thanks the defense minister for choosing him as his running mate, adding he did not expect the quick count results to be "this high." The unofficial figures show their ticket winning nearly 60% of the vote.

"I was nothing three months ago. So I extend my utmost gratitude to Pak Prabowo for giving room to young people like me ... to become part of the journey toward a golden Indonesia," says the 36-year-old son of President Joko Widodo. "I'm sure the high [quick count] figures are because of [support from] all the young people. Next, we want to involve the youth more."

He adds that he wants to soon meet with candidates from both the rival camps. "Because we are all brothers. There's no need to bully other pairs or their supporters."

8:05 p.m. Prabowo delivers a speech to cheering supporters in South Jakarta.

"We're grateful for the quick count results," he says, noting that all of them show his ticket with running mate Gibran Rakabuming winning the election in one round. "However, we must not be euphoric. We must stay humbled. This victory must be a victory for all the people of Indonesia."

Echoing his rivals, he adds, "We must still wait for the official result from the General Elections Commission." But he pushes back against suggestions of polling irregularities, saying, "We believe that Indonesia's democracy is going well."

Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto speaks to supporters in Jakarta on Feb. 14 as his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming, looks on. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

Prabowo vows to put together "a cabinet lineup consisting of Indonesia's best."

"With support from the people ... let's embrace the future. Now that the campaign is over, we must reunite ... [and] collaborate for the people of Indonesia."

7:20 p.m. Prabowo and his running mate Gibran are greeted by supporters as they leave the defense minister's residence for the nearby Istora Senayan sports complex in South Jakarta. They are expected to deliver a victory speech soon.

6:45 p.m. Indonesia's Elections Supervisory Body, or Bawaslu, calls for a redo of voting conducted through postal services and mobile polling stations by around 200,000 Indonesians in Kuala Lumpur. Bawaslu head Rahmat Bagja says it found "administrative violations" in the process, resulting in none of the votes being included in the Malaysia tally.

6:18 p.m. Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, daily acting chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country's largest business lobby, calls on all Indonesian citizens "to respect the election process by waiting for the official tally from the KPU (General Elections Commission) and to avoid creating disturbances by provoking others."

6:15 p.m. Prabowo's supporters gather at an arena in South Jakarta to celebrate their possible one-round win, ahead of the defense minister giving a speech. Thousands, clad in his signature light blue, are entertained with upbeat songs.

6:10 p.m. Ari Yusuf Amir, head of the legal team for Anies' campaign, says it has received reports of irregularities from the candidate's supporters across the country, and that the team will investigate them. This echoes comments coming from the Ganjar campaign.

"Many things are happening on the ground that the public had already [suspected]," Amir says, according to state news wire Antara. "We've stood on guard for 24 hours since last night to receive all the fraud reports."

5:50 p.m. The secretary of Prabowo's campaign team says the defense minister plans to deliver a speech to supporters and volunteers in Jakarta at around 6:30 p.m., according to state news agency Antara.

5:40 p.m. Arsjad Rasjid, head of the Ganjar campaign, tells supporters: "Don't feel down. Don't feel sad yet." He urges them to collect evidence of election fraud.

"It's very important now to collect [proof] of anomalies or frauds that have occurred ... many [examples] have come in," Rasjid tells a press briefing in Jakarta. "We want to thank our friends ... who have bravely recorded various footage to explain what happened in their respective polling stations."

He said it is important to uphold democracy in order to maintain trust in Indonesia. "We need international support. We need to get investment in, which is important to create jobs."

5:00 p.m. With quick counts giving Prabowo a significant edge, Anies urges reporters to wait for official results from the General Elections Commission (KPU) before concluding the outcome. The commission has until March 20 to announce the final tally.

"Let's wait and not rush," he says. "We [have to] respect the process at the KPU until everything is finalized. I'm still positive" about the outcome.

4:47 p.m. Between 70% and 80% of quick count results from multiple pollsters have come in, and they show Prabowo keeping his lead with 58% to 59.5% of the vote. Anies comes second with 24% to 26%, followed by Ganjar at 16% to 17%.

In a breakdown by province, some of the results show Prabowo and Anies competing tightly in the nation's capital, Jakarta. But Prabowo has a commanding lead in West and East Java, Indonesia's two most populous provinces, where 90% of the samples have been accounted for.

4:22 p.m. Gibran Rakabuming, son of President Jokowi and running mate of Prabowo, cautions against premature celebrations as quick count results point to their ticket winning a majority.

"Let's wait until the counts are finalized," he says, shortly before catching a flight to Jakarta from Central Java province, where he serves as a mayor and voted this morning. "Just take it easy. What matters the most is that the situation is safe and under control."

If current trends hold, he is expected to join Prabowo to deliver the pair's victory speech later in the evening.

4:05 p.m. "Prabowo's lead is higher than upper estimates" in opinion polls released by several pollsters last week, says Burhanuddin Muhtadi, executive director of Indikator Politik Indonesia. "Our upper estimate was 56%. Now [the quick counts] might reach 57% to 58%, or even 59%," he says in a televised interview.

"President Jokowi's effect is very obvious for Prabowo-Gibran's landslide victory," Muhtadi says.

Defense Minister Prabowo's running mate, Gibran Rakabuming, is Jokowi's son. The president was widely considered to be supporting the duo, even though he did not declare it.

Supporters of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto cheer in front of the venue where he is due to appear in Jakarta on Feb. 14. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

3:50 p.m. Prabowo maintains his lead in quick counts by multiple Indonesian pollsters. With around 50% to 70% of samples accounted for, the defense minister is still commanding 58% to 60% of the vote. His rivals are well behind at 22% to 24% for Anies and 17% to 19% for Ganjar. A majority of quick results from key electorates including densely populated provinces on Java island have been counted.

Assuming the numbers are accurate, the frontrunner looks to be cruising to a first-round victory.

3:10 p.m. Quick count results begin to emerge. Preliminary numbers from local pollsters Indikator Politik Indonesia, Lembaga Survei Indonesia and Charta Politika show Prabowo in the lead with nearly 60% of the vote, with around a quarter of the samples in. Anies trails at between 23% and 25%, with Ganjar at 16% to 18%.

2:10 p.m. Counting is underway at a polling station in Central Jakarta, with staff members opening the white ballot boxes to collect the papers. This polling station allowed some people to vote after the 1 p.m. closure, due to the rain, which has ended in the area.

Polling station staff empty ballot boxes in Central Jakarta after the close of voting on Feb. 14. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

2:10 p.m. Anies says he is optimistic that his ticket will pass the first round of the election and be eligible for a June runoff. "The people of Indonesia want a better life. Families ... want to find jobs easier, want cheaper education, cheaper prices," he tells reporters at his campaign headquarters in Central Jakarta.

"Also, more and more people want a healthier democracy, where their choices are respected and where [everyone's rights] are protected. These voices are getting louder. Day by day, more people want changes."

2:03 p.m. After voting earlier in the day, Prabowo takes a swim at his residence in Bogor, West Java, state media agency Antara reports. "I have problems with my left foot. I can no longer do anything strenuous, such as running. So, swimming is the best for me," he tells reporters.

1:35 p.m. Nana Sudjana, the acting governor of Central Java, says that voting in 10 villages in the province's Demak regency had to be postponed due to flooding, state news agency Antara reports.

1:30 p.m. Ganjar lands in Jakarta after voting in his home province of Central Java. He heads directly to the residence of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri, where they are expected to wait for quick count results. Ganjar dismisses rumors of a planned meeting between Megawati and Jokowi, who drifted apart after the president's son, Gibran Rakabuming, was declared Prabowo's running mate.

Ganjar, Jokowi and Gibran are all PDI-P politicians as opposed to Prabowo, who chairs the Gerindra Party. "It's too early to tell," Ganjar told local reporters of the rumored meeting.

An ambulance sits partially submerged on a flooded road in Jakarta on election day, in a picture obtained from social media. (Adi Utama Putra via Reuters)   © Reuters

1:05 p.m. Indonesian Armed Forces Gen. Agus Subiyanto says voting has been delayed in a number of regions affected by flooding, including parts of Jakarta, Banten and Central Java provinces. He adds that the military has dispatched 90,000 soldiers to secure the presidential and legislative elections nationwide, including 10,000 in Jakarta alone.

1:00 p.m. It's closing time at the polls, although some stations may stay open a little longer to allow voters who have lined up to cast their ballots. Some citizens faced delays due to the rain. But attention now turns to the quick count results, which will be compiled by local pollsters based on sample polling stations.

11:24 a.m. The Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency says that 34 polling stations have been flooded due to heavy rains this morning, state news agency Antara reports.

11:15 a.m. Surya Paloh, media mogul and chairman of the National Democratic (Nasdem) Party, says he will meet with Megawati Sukarnoputri, chairwoman of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), "in a near future." Nasdem backs Anies while the PDI-P supports Ganjar. With Prabowo leading the polls, there has been speculation that the two other camps might join hands to defeat the defense minister in a June runoff if no ticket wins a majority on Wednesday.

"Surely there are many things to talk about regarding the election," Paloh tells local reporters at a polling station in Jakarta.

11:10 a.m. Gibran Rakabuming, Jokowi's son and the 36-year-old running mate of Prabowo, votes in Surakarta, central Java.

11:06 a.m. Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former president of the country, and leader of the Indonesia's largest political party, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, cast her vote in Jakarta. Her party backs Ganjar.

10:29 a.m. Tents at a number of voting stations collapsed in the Cempaka Baru Village area, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, due to heavy rain this morning, state news agency Antara reports.

10:10 a.m. A coffee shop worker in Jakarta says the cafe delayed its opening by four hours to give employees time to vote.

Starbucks, meanwhile, was providing special discounts on drinks to anyone who votes on Wednesday.

A sign advertises Starbucks' discount for voters on election day. (Photo by Nana Shibata)

10:05 a.m. Sri Suprihatin, a 50-year-old homemaker in Tangerang, west of Jakarta, says she voted for Anies Baswedan due to his promise to bring "changes."

"I'm tired of price increases, such as fuels and food staples," Suprihatin tells Nikkei Asia after casting her vote. "I hope the new president will keep the prices [stable]." She adds that she likes Anies because he's "a good Muslim" whom she hopes will be more supportive of Islamic congregations.

9:10 a.m. Prabowo Subianto, the favorite to become the next president, votes at a polling station near his residence in West Java. Afterward, he thanks organizers for the "orderly" process and talks about the wet weather. "According to our people's belief, rains bring blessings and sustenance. So hopefully everything will go well. Let's wait for the results."

Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto votes in Bogor, West Java, on Feb. 14. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

8:57 a.m. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo votes with first lady Iriana near the presidential palace in Central Jakarta. "We're hoping ... that the election will run smoothly, all the people can exercise their right to vote well and [the election] is conducted honestly, fairly ... and securely," he says.

Responding to a question about vote rigging concerns, he replies: "There is a mechanism for everything. If there's fraud on the ground, reports can be filed to the elections supervisory body. And if it's not solved ... a lawsuit [can be filed] to the Constitutional Court."

Jokowi says he has not communicated this morning with his son, Gibran Rakabuming, the 36-year-old running mate of Defense Minister and presidential frontrunner Prabowo Subianto. The president is widely seen as backing the pair despite having not openly declared his support for them.

A polling station in Tangerang, in Banten province. (Photo by Erwida Maulia)

8:45 a.m. Ardiansyah Seno, an 18-year-old college student, says after voting in his first presidential election, "Choosing a president was easy because I made my choice a long time ago."

The Prabowo Subianto supporter voted in East Jakarta. "I chose them because I was interested in their program which will provide free lunches and free milk [to students and expectant mothers]," he says of Prabowo and his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming, the son of incumbent President Joko Widodo.

"It will help improve the nutrition of my younger siblings," he says, adding that Prabowo's job creation pledge is attractive for young people ready to enter the workforce.

8:45 a.m. Former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo casts his vote in Semarang, the capital of Central Java province.

Before heading to vote, he expressed optimism, citing exit poll results from overseas reportedly showing his ticket in the lead. Indonesian embassies in many countries had held the polling earlier. "I think the results are good in many countries that have held the election. This makes us more optimistic," said Ganjar, who is backed by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. "Let's wait for the quick count [results]. As long as the pollsters [performing those] have good integrity, I'm sure [people] can accept the results."

Ganjar also called for a "clean" election, repeating concerns among civil society groups and academics over the state of Indonesia's democracy, amid allegations of President Joko Widodo's mobilization of support for Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto. "Let's all return to the right path today ... for a better, hopefully more substantive democracy and election."

Ganjar's running mate, Mohammad Mahfud MD, voted in neighboring Yogyakarta province.

A citizen holds up his inked finger, which shows that he voted, after casting his ballot in Jakarta on Feb. 14. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)

8:39 a.m. Anies Baswedan casts his vote near his home in South Jakarta. The presidential hopeful, positioning himself as an opposition candidate, repeated his call for "changes" and for an "honest and fair" election just before heading to the polling station.

"We're calling on [our] volunteers, sympathizers and party activists to reach out to those that haven't been reached," he said. "Ask them to vote. We're offering changes. We're sure everyone wants these changes."

Implying that there could be attempts at manipulation, he added: "We're sure all poll station officers want their children to have good jobs, good education and want cheaper staple prices. So if there is an instruction [to do things] against your conscience and inspiration, stay steadfast and uphold your principles."

Anies' running mate, Muhaimin Iskandar, voted at a separate location in South Jakarta.

7:10 a.m. It's a rainy election day in Jakarta. Some experts warn that the poor weather could affect turnout, especially among young voters.

7:00 a.m. Polling stations are now open in western Indonesia, including Jakarta. As the archipelago nation has three different time zones, the eastern and central regions started voting earlier in the day. There are about 820,000 polling stations nationwide, and over 204 million citizens aged 17 or older are eligible to participate.

Polling station staff prepare ballot boxes in Jakarta on Feb. 14. (Photo by Nana Shibata)

Wednesday has been designated a public holiday for the election. Legislative polls for the national, provincial and city levels are being held simultaneously. The General Elections Commission aims for a turnout of around 82%, almost the same level as the previous presidential election in 2019.

Voting will close at 1 p.m. Jakarta time. Quick counts should be known later in the day. A runoff would be held in June if no candidate wins a majority.