Solomon Islands: No reports of electoral fraud

Solomon Islands’ Electoral Commission says a formal complaint must be made before there is any investigation into allegations of electoral fraud.

Chief electoral officer, Polycarp Haununu, says the commission has not received a single report of vote rigging, despite widespread rumours voters are selling their identification cards in exchange for political support.

“Since the beginning of the registration, my office hasn’t received any formal complaints about buying of ID cards.

“If candidates, or whoever is giving or buying votes, people have to report such cases to the police and the police will investigate,” Haununu said.

In March, Transparency Solomon Islands chief executive Daniel Fenua said there is anecdotal evidence of vote rigging with candidates taking possession of scores of voter identification cards.

He said the cards were purchased from individual voters then candidates would give the cards back just prior to the election, usually with a sum of money.

Biometric voter registration ended a week ago, after the original deadline was extended following the country’s flood disaster last month.

The process was put in place to stop multiple voting in elections.

The total number of registered voters is still to be calculated, but Haununu estimates around 285,000 people have signed up – a lower number than at the last election.

Haununu said there are fines in place for voter fraud, including multiple registration.

“If you have found to have been registered more than once, then you will be fined $5000 or even imprisonment.”

Solomon Islands is due to go to the polls late this year but a date has not yet been set.