[Photo: File]
Fiji’s proposed December 9 constitutional referendum could be held alongside the 2027 General Election.
The Fijian Elections Office is preparing for both events amid uncertainty over Parliament’s timetable.
Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa said the National Referendum Act allows the referendum and general election to be conducted on the same day.
The Elections Office, she states is ready to administer both processes, regardless of whether they take place separately or together.
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The referendum is currently proposed for December 9, 2026, while the latest legal date for the general election writ to be issued is December 24, 2026. If the writ is issued on the final date, polling day would fall on February 6, 2027.
Mataiciwa says the proposed referendum date remains subject to the legal process, with the writ serving as the formal instrument that triggers the electoral process.
She confirms the Elections Office has opened postal voting applications for the proposed referendum, with the deadline set for November 18. The online application process allows eligible voters to apply without having their forms witnessed by a notary public or lawyer.
Mataiciwa adds that the office has already received 212 postal voting applications within the first two weeks.
She also acknowledges concerns from political parties about the rushed consultation process but says the Elections Office must work within the existing legal framework.
Mataiciwa adds that the office has provided technical and operational advice during the legislative process but must now prepare for the electoral events in accordance with the law.