ECM announces minimum registration amount for Local Council Elections 2020

Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has announced the minimum registry amount required for the Local Council Elections 2020, to place ballot boxes in foreign countries and local resorts.

In a tweet posted on Wednesday, ECM revealed their decision to place ballot boxes in foreign countries with a maximum of 150 registered voters, local resorts with a maximum of 50 registered voters and remote islands and prisons with a maximum of 25 registered voters.

Speaking at a press conference in August, ECM President Ahmed Shareef revealed that they are currently in discussions to change the maximum number of voters to each ballot box to 700.

Further, he revealed that officials to be active throughout the elections will also increase to 7,000.

Shareef went on to reveal that additional 178 ballot boxes will be stationed during the fourth council Elections.

Earlier in August, ECM revealed that the elections will be held within April 2020, although a specific date has not yet been finalized. The commission is in discussions to hold it within the first week of April, said Shareef.

While the People’s Majlis is currently deliberating on amendments to the Decentralization Act, Shareef said that they are working alongside the parliament’s decentralization committee to ensure a smooth election process.

Highlighting that the upcoming council elections will be different from the past parliamentary and presidential elections, Shareef expressed hope that they will reach their target of making things easier for the candidates and voters.

The tenure of a councilor is three years and the decentralization law required new councilors to be elected 30 days prior to the end of the sitting councilors. The current councilors took oath of office in June 2017.