Elections are an important way for you to have your say in who will represent your community.
There are three types of elections held in Tonga:
Parliamentary General elections are held every four years. The people of each constituency elect one representative to the Parliament. Nine noble representatives are also elected by the nobles. Together, the members of Parliament make laws and decisions on behalf of the nation.
Local general elections are held on the last Thursday of May every four years to elect district and town officers. Your local officers are responsible for your local area.
By-elections are held when a vacancy occurs between general elections
Participating in elections is a civic duty. By voting to elect your representatives at elections, you are helping to shape Tonga’s future.
To vote, you will need to attend a polling station on election day. Polling stations are open between 9am and 4pm.
Bring your national ID card. If you cannot find your ID, bring your passport or driver’s license, or you can swear an oath. A polling official will check your ID, mark your name off the roll and give a ballot paper.
Take your ballot paper to the voting screen to vote in secret. Place a tick in the circle next to the name of the candidate you wish to vote for in the election, then place your ballot paper in the ballot box before you leave.
If you make a mistake or require assistance, ask a polling official
It’s that easy!
It is essential that you complete your ballot paper correctly so that your vote can be counted.
Before election day, consider which candidate you wish to vote for in the election. Find out about your candidate so you can make an informed decision about who you think will best represent your community.
When filling in your ballot paper, place a tick in the circle next to the name of the candidate of your choice.
The Tongan electoral system uses a ‘simple majority’, or first-past-the-post counting method. This means that the candidate with the greatest number of votes in each election is elected.
At 4pm when the polling stations close, the ballot box is opened so that the votes can be counted. Votes are first sorted according to candidate, then the number of votes for each candidate is counted. The results of each polling station are tallied to determine which candidate has been elected.
Voters with poor eyesight or physical disability who are unable to vote without assistance can seek help from the polling officers.
A person who is not a candidate can be nominated by the voter to accompany the voter to the voting cubicle and mark the ballot paper as the voter directs and then place the ballot papers in the ballot box. The police officer at the polling station will observe to ensure the voter’s wishes are followed.
Registration is compulsory. Under clause 64 of the Constitution and section 4(3) of the Electoral Act, all eligible people must be registered.
Without registering you cannot take part in elections, which are an important way for you to be represented in government.
Eligibility:
To be eligible to register and vote, you must be:
- A Tongan citizen, not a noble
- 21 years or older
- Without a criminal record with a prison sentence of more than 2 years
- Live in your constin1ency for 3 months or more, and
- Without a mental disability
You can register at any time in the Electoral Commission in Nuku’alofa, the Governor’s offices in Vava’u and Ha’apai, or at the Government Representatives’ Offices for ‘Eua, Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou
The Electoral Commission also makes visits to communities to assist with voter registration.
What to bring with you:
You will need to bring your National ID Card, plus Passport or Birth Certificate and complete the registration forms, sign them and have your photo taken. You will be given the second portion of the form.
Once you have registered, you will only need to update your details if:
- The Electoral Commission informs you that your constituency or district has changed.
- You have moved to a new constituency or district. In this case, you will need a letter from the town officer as evidence of your residence there for more than 3 months.
- You have changed your name, for example when you marry.
You can check your registration at any time by contacting the Electoral Commission.
A provisional roll is published six months before an election. Anyone can inspect the roll and let the Electoral Commission know if:
- There is a name on the roll that should not be
- Someone is missing from the roll
- Someone is on the roll in the wrong constituency.
The final roll is published no later than two months before an election. If you have n1rned 21 you can still register up to 2 weeks before the election date.