2014 General Elections Presentation – 22/04/14

Timeline April Polling Station identification complete Correct Voter Details Setup Office in Suva Identify Warehouse Complete Recruitment of staff Prepare manuals and SOPs Meet Stakeholders and Partners to establish relationships and support Advertise Election Equipment Tender May Open Sub-Offices aka Voter Information Centers Overseas Voter Registration complete Finalize Polling stations Provisional Voter List per Polling Station Plan Phase 4 Voter Registration Voter Education phase 1- When to Vote Voter Education phase 2 – Where to Vote Finalize warehouse spaces Commence to recruit Election day Staff June Phase 4 Voter Registration Exercise Voter Education Phase 2- Continues Finalise Election Day staff recruitment Election Day Staff Trainings begin Finalize Postal Voting Forms Logistic plan for delivery of Election day Material complete Intro Voter Education Phase 3 – How to Vote

Timeline July Voter Education Phase 3- How to Vote Deploy Voter Education Teams Finalize Divisional Offices Setup Voter Registration Continues Finalize pre-poll deployment strategy Finalize Postal Voting arrangements Applications for Postal Voting commence Election Day staff training continues August Voter Education Phase 3 – How to Vote Voter Education Phase 4– All Fijians Should Vote Postal Voting Applications accepted Writ is issued Voter Registration Closes Finalization of the Voter List Close of Registration of Parties Nomination period Preparation of National Candidates List September Voter Education Phase 3 – How to Vote Voter Education Phase 4 – All Fijians Should Vote Pre-poll Voting commences Postal Votes received Election Day staff final training Campaign restrictions Media blackout Polling day Counting and results

Important Dates  Writ – 04 August 2014  Voter Registration closes – 4 August 2014  Party Registration closes – 4 August 2014  End of Nomination Period – 18 August 2014  Withdrawal of Nomination – by 12p.m 19 August 2014  Objections to Nominations – by 4p.m 19 August 2014  Appeals on Nomination issues finalised – 22 August 2014  National Candidates List- 25 August 2014  Application for Postal Vote close – 27 August  Election Day – 17 September 2014

Voter Registration  Voter Registration is ongoing.  Final phase of overseas voter registration is in May.  Phase 4 of Voter Registration will be in June- Fiji Wide coverage.  Voters will be assigned Polling Station nearest to their Address.  Voters will only be able to vote at the Polling Station they are assigned to.

Voter Information  Fijian Elections Office will conduct voter information exercise by having about 30 to 40 trained personnel.  The approach is to start in the rural areas and from there converge into the urban centers.  It will contain visual presentations and materials, including mock exercises.  There will be 4 phases in the exercise.  When to vote  Where to vote  How to vote  All Fijians should vote  Expect to be bombarded with Electoral information until 17 September 2014.

Nominations  Accepted after the issue of Writs  Electoral Commission [“EC”] will notify nomination period and place of nomination  Parties and Independent Candidates can organize a time with Fijian Elections Office to lodge their Nomination.  Election will be held if there are more than 50 valid nominations.  Nominations will be determined in accordance with Section 23 of Decree.

Ballots  Voting is manual, by Ballot  Ballot paper to have security features.  Ballot papers to be ready at-least by 01 September  Supervisor of Elections to prepare National Candidates List

Voting Options  Postal Vote – Application to Supervisor of Elections by 27 August  Overseas registered voters and those who meet the qualification for a postal vote  Pre-Poll Voting  In remote areas and locations where voter numbers are low - such as parts of Lau Group, Lomaiviti Group; and  Electors in disciplined forces, health & nursing facilities or in remand or prison.  In person on Polling Day – 17 September

Polling Venues/Stations  Polling Venue is a location that has 1 or more Polling Stations.  Voters will vote in a Polling Station.  Polling Station ≤ 500 Voters  Minimum of 3 Voting Screens  1Presiding Officer, 1 Assistant Presiding Officer, 4 Polling Assistants.

Polling Day  Starts at 7:30 a.m and finishes at 6:00 p.m  Must have Voter List  Voter List-  EVR Number  Name  Polling Station  Voters must produce EVR Card.  If EVR Card is not produced, can still Vote. Presiding Officer will ask questions and or require necessary documents to satisfy that you are who you claim to be.  After Voting, indelible ink will be applied to the pointing finger or the little finger of the left hand, just before the ballot paper is put in the ballot box.

Persons in the Polling station  Authorized persons must wear Badges at all times.  Authorized persons will include:  Supervisor of Elections and Electoral Commissioners  Presiding Officer and FEO Officials  1 Polling Agent from each party or independent candidate  Observers  Police Officers on duty, if requested by the presiding officer or his or her representative for the sole purpose of restoring peace and order, for the time necessary to do so.  Any other person authorized by the Supervisor of Elections.

The Count  Begins immediately after close of Polls- 6p.m  Counting is done in the station and Polling Agents and Observers can be present.  After opening the Ballot Box(s), Presiding Officer must mix all the ballots and then do sorting. Invalid votes are to be rejected and the number of votes received by the candidate is to be recorded in the Protocol of Results.  Polling agent may object to a ballot paper and the Presiding Officer will consider the objection and decide on it.  There can be 1 recount at the Polling station if requested.

Results  National Results tally- Provisional display of results  Final National Results Tally – prepared by Supervisor of Elections after receiving all the Protocol of results and submitted to Electoral Commission for allocation of seats.  Electoral Commission  Calculates the quotient;  Determines number of seats for each political party or independent candidate is entitled to;  Determines names of persons elected;  Publishes the names of those elected;  Advises the Secretary-General of Parliament; and  Returns the writ to the President endorsed with those elected.

Immediate priority - FEO  Identify Suitable Polling Stations and finalise the list - 30 April 2014  Moving voters to their nearest Polling Station  Publish in early May, the List of Proposed Polling Stations with the provisional allocation of voters to each Polling station.  Voters have the opportunity in May to learn where they have been assigned to vote and also to amend or change their address.  Updated lists will continue to be made available and closer to Elections, Final List will be published

Immediate Priority - Voters  Register to vote  Change/correct address  Check for the nearest Polling Station and contact the FEO teams.  Check if names appear on the Voter List.

Many thanks 147 days to go…