Saneem says eligible registered voters can apply for a postal ballot

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem says registered voters living overseas are eligible to apply for a postal ballot.

Saneem says the forms are available on the Fijian Elections Office website, services.feo.org.fj/postal

He adds once the form has been downloaded and filled, it has to be uploaded via the same portal which is how the FEO will get the postal ballot.

Saneem says in accordance with section 84 of the Electoral Act, the postal voting application form must be accompanied by a statutory declaration from the applicant.

He also says the FEO has incorporated the statutory declaration in the postal voting application form.

Saneem further says section 3 of the Statutory Declarations Act requires a statutory declaration made in Fiji for use in Fiji.

It must be before a qualified person such as but not limited to a Notary Public, a Commissioner for Oaths, a Barrister and Solicitor, a Justice of Peace and for the purposes of the elections, Election Officials.

He says people in Fiji cannot witness a declaration made overseas.

The Supervisor says the Chief Justice's directive number 1 of 2016 in Fiji states that a statutory declaration to be sworn in Fiji should be under the following guidelines before the declaration is signed proof of identification must be provided to the person witnessing the document.

He adds with the voter registration card, a driver's license, Fiji National Provident Card or Passport must be present.

Saneem says these rules and guidelines mean the registered voter will need to get their statutory declaration witnessed before a qualified person in their presence.

He further says in order to get a postal vote approved, voters will need to comply with Section 84 of the Electoral Act.

He says his team has been going around to aged care facilities to assist voters in applying for a postal ballot.