Unofficial tallies in Indonesia’s presidential election on Wednesday showed Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto taking a commanding lead that could see him win in a single round if sustained.
Prabowo had about 58% of votes according to four pollsters, based on ballots counted in a sample of voting stations nationwide. The number of votes they had tallied ranged from about 52% to 67% as of 0912 GMT.
Rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo had about 25% and 17% respectively, according to the independent pollsters that were conducting “quick counts” at the close of voting.
Counts by reputable outlets have proven to be accurate in previous elections. An official result is not expected until several weeks after the vote.
The pattern could signal a first round win for Prabowo. To win in a single round, a candidate needs more than 50% of votes cast and 20% of the ballot in half of the country’s provinces.
If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held in June.
