[Photo: FILE]

The Electoral Commission could be given the authority to move ballot counting from individual polling stations to designated counting centres under changes to Fiji’s Electoral Act 2014.

Lands and Mineral Resources Minister Filimoni Vosarogo states the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026 would allow the Commission, with its approval, to authorise ballot papers to be counted at one or more designated centres.

This would give the Commission an alternative to counting ballot papers at individual polling stations, allowing greater flexibility in how the counting process is organised.

Vosarogo said the amendment would also bring the Electoral Act into line with the National Referendum Act 2026.

The Bill further addresses foreign assistance during election campaigns, with provisions to clarify restrictions on assistance received from foreign individuals and organisations.

Vosarogo said the amendment would provide greater clarity on the restrictions, although he did not detail the specific forms of assistance covered.

Another change concerns the legal effect of announcing an election date, particularly when an election is subsequently postponed or cancelled.

The Bill also clarifies the meaning of a certified list to include the voter list, register of postal voters and other registers used to determine eligibility under special voting arrangements.

Vosarogo further outlined changes concerning the finality of decisions made by the Electoral Commission under Section 115(2)(b). The relevant offences would also be reclassified as illegal electoral practices.

He said the amendments were intended to improve legal clarity, strengthen election administration and ensure consistency across Fiji’s electoral laws.
Parliament approved Vosarogo’s motion to fast-track this Bill alongside the two other electoral amendment Bills, with all three to be debated and voted on at one sitting,
without committee referral and with one hour allocated for debate.