Fijians must re-register to vote if they wish to participate in the forthcoming Local Government Elections, according to Ana Mataiciwa, the Supervisor of Elections. This announcement was made during a media briefing held in Suva.
Mataiciwa informed that while there is an existing national register of voters for General Elections, individuals will be required to re-register for the Local Government Polls. Those who complete the re-registration process will receive a new voter card that will indicate their polling venues for both the Local Government and General Elections. However, voters who choose not to re-register will still be able to use their current voter ID cards for the next General Election.
Independent candidates interested in running for the Local Government Elections will need to submit just 8 signatures and pay a registration fee of $200. Mataiciwa also outlined that the voting system for these elections will follow the ‘first past the post’ method, differing from the General Election system that requires candidates to achieve a specific threshold.
The lead-up to the Local Government Elections will kick off next Friday with the launch of an awareness campaign. Voter registration is scheduled from April 13 until the Electoral Commission issues the writ. The recruitment of election officials is slated to occur between April 13 and May 16, with training sessions set for July 27 through August 16.
A total of 141 councilor positions will be contested across 40 wards, with 72 polling venues established throughout the country. These venues will be distributed as follows: 27 in the central division, 8 in the eastern division, 9 in the northern division, and 28 in the western division.
This initiative aims to encourage active citizen engagement in local governance and ensure a robust electoral process. With clear guidelines and structured timelines in place, voters and candidates alike have the opportunity to participate actively in shaping their communities.
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