Saneem: Voters’ responsibility to find out where to vote

SUPERVISOR of Elections Mohammed Saneem says it is the responsibility of a voter to find out where they are supposed to vote and turn up to that location to vote.

He said this while responding to reports of various voters being turned away from pre-polling stations because their names were not on the voters list.

Mr Saneem said voters were required update their details for the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) add to the list.

“In the event the Voter is not able to vote at that location, they were required to change their Polling Venue before the 1st of October, 2018 or at least 6pm on 1st of October,” he said.

“The FEO Voter List is generated from information that the Voter has voluntarily provided to us and this means that the Voter has accepted that information to be the most current as at 1st October, 2018.

“If you come and tell me that three people were turned away because their names were not on the list that is because they are required to update their details for us to put them on the list.”

Mr Saneem said it was a voluntary system, unlike 2006 and earlier where it was a mandatory voting system so the onus was on the FEO.

“Now the onus is on the Voter since it’s a voluntary system. Voters have had numerous opportunities to update their details,” he said.

“We have done village/settlement visits, we have done nation-wide drives, we have had offices open in 23 offices and about 50 locations all over the country.

“I think at some point in time, the voter will disappoint themselves if they haven’t take advantage of “this.”

*Voters can check their details on the Fijian Elections Office 1500 SMS platform. Send your voter identification card details to check where you are listed to #vote!