Residents of Addu City are one step closer to participating in the upcoming referendum, as the Election Commission of Maldives (ECM) has officially released the final list of eligible voters.
The ECM has also detailed the allocation of ballot boxes across the islands that will host polling stations.
The finalised voter registry confirms a total of 9,203 individuals on the permanent list of eligible voters which includes the 255 people who had successfully re-registered.
These voters will cast their ballots in one of the designated polling stations, with ballot boxes strategically placed to ensure accessibility.
The distribution of these boxes reflects the registered voter population across Addu City:
Hulhudhoo: 3 ballot boxes - 1,243 registered voters.
Meedhoo: 3 ballot boxes - 1,218 registered voters.
Feydhoo: 5 ballot boxes - 2,862 registered voters.
Malé: 7 ballot boxes - 3,881 registered voters.
Following the publication of this final list, the ECM has stated that there will be no further opportunities to submit complaints or request changes to voter registrations. The comprehensive list has been formally published in the official government gazette and is also accessible on the ECM’s website.
For those who had previously registered to vote in the last parliamentary elections and did not re-register for the referendum, their voting eligibility has been automatically transferred to the island of their permanent residence. However, voters registered in Hulhumale' and Villimale', who did not re-register, will maintain their registration at the polling station in Malé.
Voting is scheduled to take place on Saturday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Voters have been urged to verify their polling station details in advance to ensure a smooth voting experience.
The inaugural vote under the newly enacted General Referendum Act will seek the views of residents in Addu's Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo wards regarding a proposed change in the composition of the Addu City Council.