THE country’s eligible voters who will not be in the country on the Election Day to cast their votes, including Solomon Islanders in Australia and New Zealand for seasonal work, will not be able to participate in the 2024 joint elections as there will still be no out-of-constituency voting, neither postal voting.
This was explained by the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission’s (SIEC’s) Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jasper Highwood Anisi when asked during an SIEC talkback show on SIBC if ‘seasonal workers’ can cast their vote during the elections.
“This 2024 Joint Election there will be no out of constituency voting and will not be exercised because that will be another set of processes.
“Only those whose names appear at the polling stations during the Polling Day will be able to vote,” Mr Anisi said.
“People who joined the seasonal work will not be part of the process of choosing their leaders during the joint elections.
“Hopefully, in the next elections in four years’ time, they will be able to vote,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr Anisi clarified that those whose names are misspelt can cast their votes because their photos have been recorded by SIEC.
He said the correction and omission period is for the correction of names because there are provisional lists and voters should correct any misspelling during this process.
However, Mr Anisi added that when the lists are finalised and any misspelling of any name is not corrected, it will remain as it is and hence the verification of a voter’s identification by photograph.
He added that every process follows its set timeline and thus the commission had already endorsed the final voter lists and they cannot be altered.
“That is the final list we cannot amend them.
“If your name is spelt wrongly that’s how it’s going to be. You will use that name,” he said.
The election will be held on 17th April.
By LACHLAN EDDIE
Solomon Star, Honiara