[pima.nius] TONGA VOTERS REGISTER FOR HISTORIC ELECTION

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai'i

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TONGA VOTERS REGISTER FOR HISTORIC ELECTION
Final roll to be printed next week

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, Sept. 2, 2010) - Voter registration for Tonga's November the 25th election has now closed and the final roll is due to be printed next Thursday.

The election will see Tongans vote for a majority of the country's members of parliament for the first time.

[PIR editor's note: Tonga's first truly democratic election will see a majority of the Legislative Assembly elected by the people as the country's monarch, King George Tupou V, recedes from the royal family's customary control of the Tongan government . In the 2008 general elections, 23 of 32 seats in parliament were determined by the King and his nobles with just 9 seats elected by ordinary Tongan citizens.]

The Supervisor of Elections, Pita Vuki, says a new registration programme was started in June with a provisional roll printed in July.

He says because the constituencies are new some voters needed clarification of the boundaries when registering and they will be able to check this on the final roll.

"Yes we will distribute the final roll to every village through our district internal offices and of course our office in the outer islands, for people to visit there and check that their names are there."

Pita Vuki says people turning twenty one between now and Election Day can register on the supplementary roll, along with voters who may need to make corrections.

He says nominations for candidates will open in October but there is already plenty of interest.

Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand International. All Rights Reserved

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aotearoa, new zealand
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