Three general elections, one trend: Voter turnout drops steadily

Voter turnout has steadily fallen across Fiji’s last three general elections, dropping from 84 per cent in 2014 to just 68 per cent in 2022.

Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa told the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights this week that many young voters studying away from home were unable to cast their ballots because their polling stations were still registered at their original residential addresses.

“Some were here in Viti Levu, but their polling stations were back in their residential address in the Northern and other divisions,” Ms Mataiciwa explained.

A voter perception survey conducted in 2024 identified this as one of the main reasons for low youth participation.

The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) has since developed strategies to address the issue, including awareness campaigns targeting tertiary students to update their voter registration details.

The data shows voter participation has fallen by 16 percentage points over eight years—from 84 per cent in 2014, to 72 per cent in 2018, and 68 per cent in 2022.

Ms Mataiciwa also highlighted that inappropriate awareness materials had contributed to low turnout, with English-language resources being distributed in rural villages where local languages were preferred.

Electoral Commission chair Usaia Ratuvili said voter intimidation was another factor, with some people feeling uneasy about heavy security presence at polling venues.

The FEO also received feedback that it was not transparent enough with processes and often issued last-minute invitations to polling agents and observers.

To reverse the trend, the FEO has introduced a three-phase approach: boosting media presence, strengthening civic education in schools, and engaging grassroots communities through election advocates.

The next general election must be held between June 24, 2026—the earliest possible date—and February 6, 2027, the latest.