EC clears 2,993 candidates as local council nomination window closes

The Elections Commission of Maldives (EC) has reported that 2,993 candidates have qualified to contest the upcoming City Council, Island Council, and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections, following the closure of the nomination period.

The application window, which opened on January 17, officially closed on Sunday afternoon. Data released by the commission shows that 1,936 applications were submitted for positions within local councils, yet only 1,610 of these were accepted. For the Women’s Development Committees, 1,611 applications were lodged, with 1,383 candidates meeting the stipulated eligibility requirements.

The final voters’ registry, published on January 8, lists 294,937 eligible voters nationwide, comprising 150,410 men and 144,527 women.

Under this election cycle, a total of 629 councilors are to be elected across island and city councils. The Local Council Elections will determine city mayors, city council members, including seats specifically allocated for women, as well as island council presidents and island council members, also inclusive of dedicated women’s seats.

In addition to this, the WDC elections will decide the presidents and committee members for Women’s Development Committees at both island and city levels.

The 2026 Local Council Elections are scheduled for 4 April 2026. Polling is set to take place from 8am to 4pm, with vote counting expected to begin 30 minutes after the close of polls on the same day.

According to the Elections Commission, the official results are expected to be announced on 11 April 2026.