Fijian Elections Office receives 201 name change applications last year

As the Fijian Elections Office starts a major National Voter Registration Drive from this weekend, Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem says they received a total of 201 name change applications last year where 48 applications were from males and 153 from females.

Saneem says they have so far received 22 name change applications this year.

He says they will also assist people change their names on their birth certificate during the Know Your Elections Campaign where teams will be at various locations from this weekend to register voters and facilitate changing of details on the voter card.

The Supervisor says this service is free of charge and they will even carry it out for people in the maritime region and deliver to them their new birth certificate as well as the new voter card.

The 2022 Nationwide Voter Registration Drive and the Know Your Election Campaign starts this Saturday.

On Saturday they will be at the Suva Government Referral Centre, Valelevu Police Bure, Nakasi Rups Mega Complex, Nausori MaxVal-U Carpark, Korovou Voter Services Centre,Navua Voter Services Centre, Rakiraki Market, Navuavua Community Hall, Tavua MaxVal-U Carpark, Opposite Ba Bus Stand, Shirley Park in Lautoka, Kaif’s Fish Corner and Namaka Market in Nadi, Sigatoka Town Council Ground, Legal Aid Carpark and Coqeloa - Ram Dulare Shopping Centre in Labasa, Bitty’s Shopping Centre, Nabouwalu Market Space, Lekutu-Nakadrudru Government Station in Nabouwalu and in front of the Savusavu Town Council.

They will be at the Damodar City Carpark in Suva, Valelevu Police Bure, Nakasi Rups Mega Complex, Nausori MaxVal-U Carpark, Korovou Voter Services Centre, Navua Voter Services Centre, Rakiraki Market, Navuavua Community Hall, Tavua MaxVal-U Carpark, Yasiyasi District Advisory Councilors residence, Opposite Ba Bus Stand, Varavu District Advisory Councilors Residence, Shirley Park in Lautoka, Kaif’s Fish Corner and Namaka Market in Nadi and Sigatoka Town Council Ground on Sunday.

Exact dates on when officials will be in the maritime areas is available on the Fijian Elections Office website.

There are now 658,310 voters on the National Register of Voters.

The FEO says this was confirmed after identifying the death of 2,041 voters and carrying out a second round of verification with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry, and removing 6,920 voters from the register.

Saneem says they estimate to have about 670,000 voters for the general elections.

He confirms the parties will be given their election itinerary this afternoon.

Saneem adds the itinerary for the media will be given out on the 26th of April.

The Supervisor says media training will be conducted via Moodle and he says they will recommend to the Electoral Commission that the Moodle training is a requirement to get accredited to cover the elections.