The case also confirmed that technical aspects of open election data can stimulate or hinder the
engagement. Election result datasets were provided through the Application Programming Interface
(API) services in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format.
The use of API enabled Kawal Pemilu developers to build a dynamic yet lively application. The
infrastructure orchestration of election data provision encompassing the hardware (e.g., computers,
scanners, computer networks, web and file servers), software (e.g., application for scanning and
uploading C1 form and for inputting the DA1, DB1, and DC1 forms), operators, internet connectivity,
and electricity also plays role. The quantity and quality of the opened election data were heavily
dependent on these infrastructures and failure occurs in one of these infrastructures might hamper
the data publication process. For example, internet speed was mentioned as the major barrier for
uploading the C1 forms. Other examples concern the maintenance of the KPU web portal when
operators tried to upload C1 forms and insufficient internet bandwidth. Finally, the competency and
capability of operators in KPUD and KPUP play an important role because the process of data
publication extremely depends on their skills.

5.3. Conditions and factors for citizen-led engagement with OGD at the individual level
5.3.1. Necessary conditions
Our literature review showed that the ease of engaging with OGD (effort expectancy) and individual
motivations to engage with OGD are important conditions for citizen-led OGD engagement. However,
the perceived ease of engagement was not mentioned in our case since the primary issue encountered
by volunteers who developed the Kawal Pemilu platform did not revolve around the efforts or skills
needed to engage with OGD. Instead, the main challenge was related to the verification mechanism
needed to ensure accurate submission of results, the incentive mechanism for volunteers who
inputted in election results, and the availability of the Election Commission’s open data portal. The
condition related to the degree of ease in engaging with OGD was not mentioned either among
volunteers who digitized the C1 forms.
The importance of individual motivations to engage with OGD was supported by the case. Most of the
volunteers were intrinsically motivated to contribute to solving societal problems encountered in the
presidential election. We found different problems which were concerned by the volunteers. Three
volunteers wanted to offer evidence-based election results and reduce the polarization in society. One
of them stated:
“With the results of Kawal Pemilu, there will be no more doubts in the society about the
election results. So, people also have no pros and cons, because if there are pros and cons, it
won’t stable, riots can arise, and so on. So, for better social stability. It’s my biggest
motivation.”
The other two volunteers wanted to contribute to cleaner government and better governance, while
another volunteer said that she wanted to make sure that the elected president was not a war
criminal. Interestingly, we found that two volunteers who developed the Kawal Pemilu platform were
motivated to mastering the intellectual and technical challenge in providing a sound solution to
facilitate the citizen-sourcing of election results digitization.
We identified a sense of urgency as one of the important conditions for citizen-led engagement which
was not found in the literature, yet emerged in the case. Only two pairs of candidates competed in
the election, and as a result of this head-to-head competition, polarization between the two
supporting camps occurred. Clashes between these supporters were visible not only on social media
platforms (Lim, 2017) but also in real life as captured by journalists. For example, two pedicab drivers
in Pamekasan of East Java fought each other due to different preferences over the candidacy (2014).