The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has printed the required ballot papers for the upcoming presidential election and is currently in the process of organising and packing them.
ECM stated that the ballot papers are currently undergoing inspection following the printing process. The ballot papers are then packaged taking into account the specific number required for each ballot box based on the voters' list. ECM has stated that each ballot box will receive a surplus of ballot papers, exceeding the actual number of voters by 1%.
Simultaneously, ECM is ensuring the accuracy of the voters' list. The final list of eligible voters stands at 282,395 inclusive of over 27,000 new voters who became eligible through complaint resolutions and re-registrations.
ECM stated that voting materials and equipment will be transported to the islands in secure security boxes in addition to ballot papers. A team comprising officials from the ECM and the Maldives Police Service (MPS) will be present to oversee the secure transfer of these boxes during the transportation process.
ECM stated that there are 574 polling stations for the presidential election, with 14 individuals slated to observe and monitor each station. More than 1,700 applications were received by ECM to be representatives at the polling stations.
The presidential election is scheduled to be held on September 9 and a possible second round will be held on September 30. The election marks a significant milestone as it witnesses the largest number of candidates vying for the presidency since the inception of the multi-party system. As such, eight candidates are contesting the presidential election, including five candidates from parties and three independent candidates.