After a 21-year hiatus, Fiji’s local government elections are moving into a visible phase with the launch of a nationwide awareness drive and a firm start date for voter registration. Permanent Secretary for Local Government and chair of the Local Government Elections Working Group, Seema Sharma, officially opened the Fiji Elections Office’s (FEO) Local Government Elections Awareness Drive this week, calling the return of the polls “an important step” in restoring residents’ direct say in municipal affairs.
“After 21 years the voice of residents in our town and cities are returning to where it belongs,” Sharma said at the launch, adding that the reintroduction of elections will strengthen municipal governance across Fiji’s towns and cities. “The voice of our residents is returning to where it belongs, at the heart of municipal decision-making,” she said, underlining the administration’s emphasis on citizen participation in local government.
The FEO confirmed that voter registrations for the Local Government Elections will open on April 13, the next formal step toward polls scheduled for September 2024. The office said the Electoral Commission will determine and publicly announce the exact polling day and will issue the Writ for the Local Government Elections to Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa when that date is set. The issuing of the Writ is the formal instrument that signals the start of the election period.
As part of preparations, the Elections office said the awareness drive will focus on delivering clear, accessible information to voters across Fiji’s 13 Municipalities. The FEO plans outreach designed to ensure residents understand the registration process, key dates, and how to participate in the upcoming polls. The awareness campaign will be a key logistical effort after more than two decades without local government ballots.
Sharma’s role as both Permanent Secretary and chair of the working group places the Local Government Elections programme within the central administrative planning for municipal reform. Officials have framed the elections as a restoration of democratic practice at the municipal level and a means to bolster accountability and responsiveness in local service delivery. The FEO’s announcements this week set the operational timeline for the months ahead: registration beginning in mid-April, an awareness push rolling out immediately, and the Electoral Commission to formalise the polling day and issue the Writ in due course.
Residents and stakeholders can expect further details from the FEO as the awareness drive proceeds and the Electoral Commission finalises the polling date. With registration opening on April 13 and the elections scheduled for September, the coming weeks will be crucial for voter outreach and administrative preparations across Fiji’s municipalities.
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