SI Women want changes in voter registration
27th August, 2012
Director of Voice Blo Mere Solomon Josephine Teakeni (PHOTO Solomon Star News)
Local women leaders are calling for reform in the voter registration process. They said that it was important for the Electoral Commission to revisit its voter registry with the aim of bringing reform. Their call was made during a three-day workshop on elections and good governance that ended in Honiara last Wednesday. Director of Voice Blo Mere Solomon Josephine Teakeni called for a new voter registry and suggested those carrying out the registration process in a particular constituency must be from that constituency.
“This is because those in that particular constituency know when people would be available at their homes,” Teakeni said.
“It’s been known that when registration officers go out there to do registrations, some people are away in their food gardens and so they missed out.”
She suggests that registration officers must from that constituency because he knows when people were available at their homes. But other participants suggested registrations in a particular constituency must be done by those from other places. This is to avoid nepotism and biasness, they said. The workshop identified that issues such as religion, culture and lack of education influence how people cast their votes.
By Elliot Dawea