Election materials sent to outlying atolls

The Elections Commission (EC) has started sending election materials for the upcoming 2023 Presidential Election to the outlying atolls.

Vice President of the Elections Commission, Ismail Habeeb stated that officials from the commission departed to outlying atolls, with the election materials on Thursday. He noted that the materials were sent to the islands with the assistance of Maldives Police Service.

Habeeb noted that with this, election materials have been sent to all the atolls of the country except for Male' atoll.

According to Habeeb, the election materials are scheduled to be sent to the islands of Male' Atoll on Monday, 4th September.

Police Officers, who are in charge of security for the Presidential Election, began leaving for the islands on Wednesday.

EC will be setting up a total of 574 ballot boxes for this year’s presidential election.

As such, the commission revealed that the initial number of 604 ballot boxes to be stationed across the Maldives and abroad, for the fast-approaching presidential polls has been reduced to 574, after the reregistration process.

According to the latest information publicized by the Elections Commission, they will be setting up 142 polling stations for voters native to the capital, Malé City and outlying atoll natives residing in the capital city.

In addition to this, 27 ballot boxes will be set up in Hulhumalé.

The commission is to set up seven ballot boxes in Villimalé.

Further, a total of 319 polling stations will be set up in outlying atolls, with the commission to establish 65 ballot boxes in resorts and five ballot boxes at Prison complexes.

One ballot box will be placed at Thilafushi.

In addition to this, a total of eight ballot boxes will be set up in five other countries.

As such, three ballot boxes will be stationed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, two in Colombo, Sri Lanka and one each in London, United Kingdom, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Trivandrum, India.

A total of 42,867 forms were submitted to reregister for the 2023 Presidential Election. As such, 22,882 forms were submitted online during the re-registration period and 19,985 application forms were submitted to their centers.

A total of 35,849 forms have been re-registered. These included 18,088 online applications and 17,761 paper applications.

The EC is currently training officials to be deployed at polling stations on election day.

This year's Presidential Election is slated for 09 September and eight candidates have submitted their forms of candidacy. Five candidates from major political parties and three independent candidates.

A total of 282,755 people are eligible to vote in the election.