Ballot numbers start at 100

Candidates in the 2026/2027 General Election will be numbered from 100 after Commissioner Nemani Mati, blindfolded, drew three balls from a barrel at the Fijian Elections Office headquarters in Toorak, Suva, on Friday.

Commissioner Susana Naisara placed three balls marked zero, zero and one in the barrel after Superintendent of Police Josua Vodo confirmed the balls and that the barrel was empty.

Commissioner Mati drew one ball at a time. The first was a one, followed by two zeros. Mr Vodo confirmed each digit and Commissioner Nicola Vuetilovoni displayed them.

Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Usaia Ratuvili then announced the result.

“Ladies and gentlemen, three digit numbers, one, zero, zero,” he said.

He said the commission approved three options on 29 October: 001, 010 and 100. A check of the past three general elections showed these numbers had not been used.

“For the candidates for your respective parties, they will be allocated numbers starting from one, zero, zero,” Justice Ratuvili said.

Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa said the draw marked the start of preparations for the election.

A second draw will decide which candidate gets which number. It will be held within seven days after nominations close.

“I will assure you it will be bigger than this one,” Justice Ratuvili said.

The numbers will run from 100 according to the number of candidates each party fields.

The commission has also directed the Supervisor not to give the number 666 to any candidate, out of respect for religious considerations.