Corrupt voters face four-year poll ban under proposed law

Fijians convicted of corrupt electoral practices could be named on a new public register and barred from voting for four years.

This is according to the proposed Electoral (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Bill 2026.

The Bill creates a “Corrupt Electoral Practices List” to be maintained by the Supervisor of Elections.

Anyone convicted of a corrupt electoral practice, or found guilty by the Court of Disputed Returns during an election petition trial, would have their name, voter number, residence and conviction details entered on the list.

Their name would be removed automatically after four years.

The Bill also updates the wording used to assess a person’s eligibility to register as a voter, replacing the term “have a mental disorder” with “be of unsound mind” to align with language in the Constitution.

Acting Attorney-General Turaga, in the Bill’s explanatory note, said the amendments were designed to align with the wider Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2026, which categorises all election offences.

The Bill is yet to pass and must go before Parliament’s Standing Committee before any vote is taken.

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