Sinergi Komisi Pemilihan Umum dan Majelis Desa Adat dalam Penyelenggaraan Pemilu di Kabupaten Gianyar: Perspektif Teori Koeksistensi

Abstract

The existence of Desa Adat (customary villages) in Bali extends beyond their socio-cultural function, serving also as sources of social legitimacy that influence election administration. This interaction between state and customary law has received limited scholarly attention from an institutional-relations perspective. This study analyzes the forms of synergy between the General Election Commission (Komisi Pemilihan Umum, KPU) and the Customary Village Council (Majelis Desa Adat, MDA) of Gianyar Regency in election administration, and formulates a model for integrating state law and customary law based on coexistence theory. It employs an empirical juridical method with a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected through observation, document analysis, and interviews with the Gianyar KPU and MDA, complemented by the Public Evaluation Study on Voting Behavior in the 2024 Gianyar Regency Regional Election. The findings indicate that the KPU–MDA relationship is functional and complementary, with a clear division of authority: the KPU exercises its constitutional mandate as the election management body, while the MDA supports the dissemination of electoral information, political participation, and social stability through customary values. The study also identifies a risk of politicizing customary institutions without clear institutional boundaries. Its main contribution is a model integrating state law and customary law built on three principles: separation of authority, institutional collaboration, and social legitimacy. The model enriches coexistence theory in electoral law scholarship and shows that harmonizing the two legal systems can strengthen local democracy without compromising the independence of election management bodies.