News & press releases

Voting begins in the election for the President of the Maldives

Voting begins in the election for the President of the ... Image 1

 

23 September 2018

Voting begins in the election for the President of the Maldives today.

Counting of votes will take place at the polling stations, after the close of the ballot boxes, and interim results will be announced immediately after counting is finished.

472 ballot boxes have been placed, for 262,135 persons eligible to vote in this election. 302 ballot boxes have been placed in the islands and cities, 122 in the capital City Malé, 35 in resort islands, one box each in four jails, and one each in two airports and two industrial islands. Five ballot boxes have also been placed abroad (2 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1 in London, United Kingdom, and 1 in Thiruvananthapuram, India).

Two candidates are competing in the election – the incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Candidate of the Progressive Party of Maldives, and Member of Parliament Honourable Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Candidate of the Maldivian Democratic Party.

The election is being held in the presence of 38 international elections observers from 11 international agencies. Domestic and international monitors are also present.

This is the third Presidential election held in the Maldives, following the adoption of the 2008 Constitution, which paved the way for multi-party democracy in the Maldives. The President and Vice-President, elected today, will be sworn in on 17 November 2018.

Voting times in Maldives and abroad (given in local times)

In the Maldives: 0800 – 1600

In Thiruvananthapuram, India: 0830 – 1630

In Colombo, Sri Lanka: 0830 – 1630

In London, United Kingdom: 0930 – 1730

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 1100 – 1900

ENDS