[2] According to electoral regulations, in order to qualify for the election, candidates are required to secure support from a political party or a coalition of parties controlling 9 seats (20 percent of all seats) in the Balikpapan Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).

[4] Candidates may alternatively demonstrate support to run as an independent in form of photocopies of identity cards, which in Balikpapan's case corresponds to 38,212 copies.

One candidate registered to run as an independent, but did not submit sufficient proofs of support to the General Elections Commission (KPU).

The candidate Joy Nashar Utamajaya only submitted eight copies, claiming that his team had collected 30 thousand proofs of support but still did not have enough, and that his registration was "symbolic".

[5] The following are individuals who have either been publicly mentioned as a potential candidate by a political party in the DPRD, publicly declared their candidacy with press coverage, or considered as a potential candidate by media outlets: Following the 2024 Indonesian legislative election, nine political parties are represented in the Balikpapan DPRD:[4]