[Source: FEO]

The Fijian Elections Office will be recommending to increase the number of voters at a polling station for the 2022 General Election.

The recommendation is to increase the number from 500 to 650.

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem, says the number of voters has increased by 50,000 since 2014 when the 500 maximum limit was assigned.

Saneem says they are mindful of capacities of the polling venues to accommodate more polling stations.

As a matter of practice, the FEO ensures that all polling stations are located at ground level and are accessible even if a ramp is required.

Saneem adds the FEO adopted the 500 per polling station limit in 2014 and continued to use it in 2018.

Based on the proposed new maximum limit, the FEO will now cater 1926 polling stations as per the total number of voters from 31st December 2020.

The FEO conducted its 2nd Election Operation Planning workshop today and scrutinized various other aspects of the upcoming General Election in addition to the total number of voters per polling station.