A nationwide voter awareness campaign was launched at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday.

The campaign, ‘Know Your Election,’ will run for six weeks.

Electoral Commission chairperson Suresh Chandra said: “While we do not know the date of election yet, we want to be prepared ourselves and we want the voters to be educated and knowledgeable before a date is announced.

“Voter education is a major contribution to electoral integrity.

“The ‘Know Your Election’ campaign will disseminate balanced, non-partisan and objective information on what voters need to know in order to exercise their right to vote.”

Mr Chandra highlighted the importance of educating voters on the electoral processes to help them become an informed voter.

“Every Fijian voter should have at least perused through one Election Information booklet before they reach the polling station,” he said,

The Fijian Elections Office voter awareness assistants will be visiting all communities, settlements and villages around the country.

These visits will start today.

Voter Services co-ordinator Aisake Saukawa said during these visits they aimed to provide information on voters’ rights and obligations in the electoral process and explain the importance and process of voting.

“The main tool which will be used to inform and educate voters is the Election Information booklet which has been translated into the Hindustani, Chinese, Banaban, Itaukei and Rotuman languages so that Fijians all over the country are able to read and understand its content at their leisure,” Mr Saukawa said.

“Our teams will also provide voter services. If you have not registered yet, do not worry, we will come to you and you can register.”

There will be 45 Voter Awareness teams deployed from today travelling quite extensively nationwide for the next six weeks.

Edited by Percy Kean

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