<![CDATA[The appointment of acting regional heads (Penjabat/Pj), including governors, regents, and mayors, in Indonesia during the 2022–2023 period attracted significant public attention due to the large number of regional leaders whose terms of office had expired. The appointment of Acting Regents (Penjabat Bupati) by the central government reflects the strong exercise of administrative authority in determining regional leadership, which, in several cases, has not fully accommodated local political aspirations. This study employed a qualitative method with a normative juridical approach, supported by descriptive analysis of statutory regulations and the empirical realities observed in the field. The findings indicate that the mechanism for appointing Acting Regional Heads (Penjabat/Pj) by the central government, although legally legitimate, does not fully reflect democratic principles, particularly with regard to public participation, thereby creating the potential for an imbalance in the distribution of power between the central and regional governments. From the perspective of Joseph Schumpeter's theory of procedural democracy, political competition—the essence of democracy—was only realized through the 2024 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada), when citizens regained the opportunity to elect their regional leaders through a competitive electoral process. However, candidates who had previously served as Acting Regents enjoyed structural advantages that potentially influenced the outcome of the electoral contest. From Robert Dahl's perspective of substantive democracy, this condition demonstrates that the principles of equal political competition, broad participation, and political equality have not yet been fully realized. The study concludes that democracy in Central Halmahera has not yet achieved substantive democratic quality, as it remains characterized by central government dominance and unequal distribution of political resources.]]>
