Voter database flaws turn away citizens at 2022 polls: Report

Voters were turned away at polling stations during the 2022 General Election due to discrepancies in the Fijian Elections Office registration database.

This is according to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights consolidated review report on the Electoral Commission Annual Reports (2020-2022) tabled in Parliament last week.

The report revealed that people registered to vote in Narewa, Nadi turned up to vote in Narewa, Rakiraki, causing confusion and preventing them from casting their ballots. This database error was identified as one of several factors contributing to declining voter turnout, which dropped from 84 per cent in 2014 to 68 per cent in 2022.

The committee found that registration discrepancies were highlighted in the 2024 Voter Perception Survey as a key challenge that affected voter participation.

“Voters were turned away at polling stations due to discrepancies in the FEO registration database,” the report stated.

The survey also identified other barriers including lack of public trust in the institution, accessibility issues, and unsuitable awareness materials for targeted audiences. The report revealed that many tertiary students from northern Fiji attending institutions in Viti Levu were unable to vote due to non-updated residential addresses.

The committee made six recommendations including that “the FEO strengthens its internal mechanisms to ensure accuracy of voter registration database.” It specifically recommended that individuals registered to vote in designated locations should be permitted to cast ballots there and not be redirected elsewhere.