Elections in Fiji

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Since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970, Fiji has had four constitutions, and the voting system has changed accordingly.

Contents

Suffrage and representation

The Legislative Council elected in 1963 had 37 members. There were 12 elected members, four from each of the Fijian, Indian and European groups chosen on a communal franchise. The Governor also nominated two from each of the communities. There were to be 19 official members. The Legislative Councillors of each race were permitted to select two from their fellows to the Executive Council. Qualifications to register as a voter were as follows:

  1. British subject
  2. Age of 21 years or over
  3. Resident in the colony for a period of, or periods amounting in the aggregate of, not less than twelve months out of the preceding three years.
  4. Ability to read and write a simple sentence and sign one’s name in the English language in the case of a European, in either English or Fijian in the case of a Fijian, and for an Indian either in English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Gurmukhi, Gujarati or Malayalam. "European" and "Indian" were defined as a person whose father or any of whose male progenitors in the male line was a European or Indian, respectively, while a "Fijian" was defined as "a person whose father or any of whose progenitors in the male line ... was an aboriginal native of the colony, excluding the island of Rotuma and its dependencies."

These definitions firstly disallowed an illiterate adult to vote, secondly permitted some people to choose between ethnic rolls and thirdly made no provision for Rotumans, non-Fijian Pacific Islanders and Chinese to vote. [1] [2]

The Legislative Council elected in 1966 had 36 members. Twenty-five seats represented communal constituencies (nine indigenous Fijians, nine Indians, and seven General Electors (Europeans, Chinese, and other minorities), elected on closed electoral rolls by voters registered as members of their respective ethnic groups. A further nine members were elected from national constituencies – seats allocated ethnically (three for each ethnic constituency) but elected by universal suffrage. The remaining two members were nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs. [3] [4]

Latest elections

1966–2006

Note: The following statistics show the number of seats in the House of Representatives won by particular political parties in general elections from 1966 to 2006. The Year at the top of each column links to a main article about the election held that year.

Party 1966 1972 03/1977 09/1977 1982 1987 1992 1994 1999 2001 2006
All Nationals Congress Party ------11---
Christian Democratic Alliance --------30-
Conservative Alliance ---------6-
Alliance Party 273324362824-----
Fijian Association Party -------5110-
Fijian Nationalist Party --1---2----
Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei ------3633800
Fiji Labour Party ------137372738
General Voters Party ------44---
National Federation Party 919261522-1420010
NFP/FLP coalition -----28-----
Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party --------100
New Labour Unity Party ---------2-
Party of National Unity --------400
United General Party --------212
Western United Front ----2------
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua ---------3236
Independents--1-----522
TOTAL3652525252527070717171

2014–2022

Note: The following statistics show the number of seats in the Parliament of Fiji won by particular political parties in general elections since 2014.

Party 2014 2018 2022
FijiFirst 322726
Fiji Labour Party 000
Fiji United Freedom Party 0--
HOPE -0-
National Federation Party 335
One Fiji Party 0--
People's Alliance --21
People's Democratic Party 0--
Social Democratic Liberal Party 15213
Independents0-0
TOTAL505155

See also

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References

  1. Meller, Norman (1968). Fiji goes to the polls; the crucial Legislative Council elections of 1963. East-West Center Press. OCLC   574188389.
  2. Singh, Surjeet (2017-02-20). "Fiji elections: 1963 Fiji Legislative Council elections". Fiji elections. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  3. "Vol. 37, No. 10 ( Oct. 1, 1966)". Trove. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  4. Singh, Surjeet (2017-02-23). "Fiji elections: 1966 Fiji Legislative Council elections". Fiji elections. Retrieved 2022-08-16.