ABSTRACT
After the Reform Era in Indonesia, which started in 1998, the regional leaders were directly elected by the people. The General Election in Tuban District in 2006 is one example of the direct election. However, the direct local election held in Tuban, which was expected to be a manifestation of the democratic system’s advancement, resulted in riots. This article discusses the issues article concerning the process of the 2006 General Election in Tuban and the causes of the riots that took place during the 2006 Tuban General Election. They are analyzed using a historical method that includes four important stages: heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The results of the analysis as follows indicate that: first, the riot was due to the inappropriate preparation of both the General Election Commission and the political parties as well as the inadequate dissemination of information to the public. Second, one of the candidates was dissatisfied with the election process due to a number of violations, including administrative issues about the names and dates of birth of voters registered in the same village, money politics, and the granting of voting rights to residents outside of Tuban.
