NIU political science professor Dwight King was one of 60 delegates who helped monitor the first Indonesian democratic election this summer.

King was part of the international delegation that observed the presidential election July 5. Representatives for national house, senate, provincial houses and district houses were elected.

The delegation to monitor the election was chosen by the Jimmy Carter Center. Founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, the Atlanta-based center works to improve the quality of life for people in more than 65 countries.

King’s research on Indonesian elections caught the attention of a U.S. government official who then recommended him for consulting with the center, King said.

During the elections, King served as a resource person to Jimmy Carter Center officials and participated in discussions between Jimmy Carter, political leaders and candidates. While in Indonesia, he attended meetings where he contributed insight about Indonesian politics.

King said he served in a similar capacity during a 1999 election.

“Working with Carter was an interesting experience,” he said. As a former U.S. President, Carter is protected by the U.S. Secret Service. King said there was heavy security at all public appearances.

King describes Carter as an outgoing, highly disciplined, hard worker and a religiously committed Christian.

The presence of international election monitors by the Jimmy Carter Center helped to draw international attention to the Indonesian election, deter fraud and give support to Indonesia, he said.

King’s interest in Indonesia began when he was a graduate student during the Vietnam War. He said that through studying the war, he became interested in Southeast Asia.

“I realized that Indonesia, not Vietnam, was likely to wield the most influence on the region in the future due to its geographical and population size,” King said. “I was also attracted by the warmth of the Indonesian people that I met and the vitality of their cultures.”

Last year King wrote the book “Half Hearted Reform: Electoral Institutions and the Struggle for Democracy in Indonesia” based on elections and political reform in Indonesia.