All over bar the counting?

Indonesians go to the polls on 8 July and surveying voting intentions in such a large and diverse nation must be no easy feat but the indications such as they are point to incumbent presidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono being returned by a big margin. The Indonesian Survey Institute (Lembaga Survei Indonesia - LSI) polled 2,000 people across 17 provinces between 15-20 June and found that 67.2 percent of respondents intended to vote for Yudhoyono, 15.8 percent for former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, 8.3 percent for Vice President Jusuf Kalla, and 8.7 percent undecided. In the LSI's April survey, Yudhoyono obtained 75 percent, Megawati 16 percent and Kalla only 3 percent.
Simon Roughneen, writing for the International Security Network, says that the placid electoral campaign might disappoint political junkies, but given the prohibitive birth pangs for democracy in Indonesia, this outcome must be seen as evidence of longer-term success.

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