The Fijian Elections Office has confirmed they are actively pursuing an external audit of Fiji’s National Register of Voters. This move comes following recommendations from the Multinational Observer Group, who suggested the audit to bolster public confidence in the vote roll’s integrity and accuracy. Ana Mataiciwa, the Supervisor of Elections, disclosed this information while addressing the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, affirming the electoral commission’s commitment to complete the audit before the next general elections.
Efforts to commence the audit in both 2020 and 2022 were made, but the actual auditing process remains pending. Mataiciwa emphasized the electoral commission’s promise, part of a joint report, to conclude this before future elections. Alongside these external audit efforts, significant changes are underway to improve electoral processes, particularly following the issues faced during the 2022 general elections.
The Fijian Elections Office faced considerable challenges in 2022 due to technical glitches with the results mobile app, leading to discrepancies in vote tallying. These issues, primarily linked to problems in data transmission between the Results Management Information System and the electoral office application, highlighted the need for better quality control and systems transparency. In light of this, the controversial app associated with previous election errors will not be used in future elections.
Instead, the office is establishing a new media center aimed at ensuring accurate and transparent dissemination of election results. This development is part of a broader effort to enhance quality assurance mechanisms and system transparency to prevent past errors. By fostering collaboration with stakeholders, especially media organizations, the intention is to offer both unofficial and official results more reliably.
This series of proactive measures reflects ongoing efforts to address past electoral issues and restore public trust. Through these improvements, Fiji aims to reinforce the integrity of its democratic processes as it prepares for upcoming elections. While previous mishaps have raised questions, the current commitment to transparency and system enhancements marks a promising trajectory toward achieving a dependable and trustworthy electoral framework. By acknowledging past challenges and working towards rectifying them, Fiji seeks to pave the way for a stronger democratic process in future elections.
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