PARTICIPANTS at the multi-stakeholder dialogue on electoral reform in Suva have called for urgent action to improve voter registration efforts across Fiji, especially in rural areas and among the youth population.
Participant Mereoni Taginadavui raised concerns that many people in village communities do not have voter registration cards and are largely unaware of the registration process.
“We have the time and also we need to be working closely with the Elections Office,” Ms Taginadavui said. “We should go out with them to these communities.
“I know they often cite budget limitations, but we need to find ways to reach those who haven’t been registered.”
A youth representative, Ratu Sailosi Sirisirivalu, also highlighted the ongoing challenge of low youth turnout in national elections, referencing official data from 2014, 2018 and 2022 that showed consistently low participation rates among young voters.
“What can be done to get the youths to actually come to the registration point, to actually come on the day of voting,” Mr Sirisirivalu said.
“I don’t know whether they are not interested in this or do we lack a meeting point that we need to come up with in order to get the youths to be more involved in this.”
He urged political parties and families to take the lead in encouraging youths to register early and participate in the democratic process.
“Encourage your own family, start from your own family, your own people, start from the ground,” he said.
“If they are in Year 12 or Year 11, they are in your family, encourage them that this is the way forward, to register.”
