Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment Bill 2023 passed in Parliament

The Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment Bill 2023 has been passed in Parliament.

This will allow a person to register as a voter in the general elections using the name specified on his or her birth certificate or the name the person is commonly known for.

In regards to married women, they can now use their spouse’s surname to register, even if it is not in their birth certificate.

Speaking on the Bill, Attorney General, Siromi Turaga says in 2021, the Electoral (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021 provided that a person’s application for registration as a voter must state his or her full name as specified on his or her birth certificate and must also be accompanied by the person’s birth certificate.

He says these changes were made after the Supervisor of Elections lost the Niko Nawaikula case.

Turaga says the amendments made in 2021 were seen to disadvantage people, especially women who chose to use their spouse’s surname but who were required to first change the name on their birth certificate in order to be registered using their spouse’s surname.

He says the Bill must be considered urgently to address the concerns raised by women who want their birth certificates to be changed to reflect their maiden names as they had previously changed their birth certificates to include their spouse’s surnames for election purposes only.

The Attorney General says the longer they delay the Bill, the longer individuals are being denied their right to vote as women who wish to vote under their married name.

While speaking on the Bill, FijiFirst MP Mosese Bulitavu urged the Attorney General, as the Minister responsible for Elections, to wait for the guidelines by the Supervisor of Elections which will be issued by the Fijian Elections Office that prevents those cases that are registered twice and also using various identities.

He says it is their job to drive the voter registration.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says this is what their supporters asked them to do when they came into Parliament.

He says this Bill is an important one and he also acknowledges the Opposition for not opposing the Bill.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Lynda Tabuya says this was a law that disrespected the High Court and affected Niko Nawaikula.

She says this law shows the shrewdness of the former lawmaker.

Tabuya says the law was designed to disenfranchise women voters.