In the provincial assembly elections, there are 816 candidates contesting - 781 are men and 35 are women. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
New research on the Solomon Islands' 2024 election process shows systemic issues affecting voter trust and rights persist.
The research from the Australian National University (ANU) and Solomon Islands National University (SINU) involved 5342 participants from 15 constituencies across the country.
The report, released last week, examines voting and electoral practices around the 18 April 2024 polling day. It is part of an ongoing project looking at the state of democracy in the Solomon Islands, and builds on similar projects from the 2019 and 2014 elections.
Overall, the research identifies progress in some areas, such as political participation from women. However, other long-standing challenges remain, including public trust in the accuracy of the voter roll.
Last year's election was the first time the provincial and national government elections were held simultaneously.
According to the country's electoral commission, voter turnout was 83 percent, matching the previous 2019 election.
Chief electoral officer Jasper Anisi said while turnout is likely the highest in the region, cross-border registration continues to cause dissatisfaction.
Cross-border registration is where people vote in a constituency where they do not reside, usually because they have ancestral ties to that area. Under current electoral laws, the practice is not illegal.
ANU's Dr Colin Wiltshire, the project's lead researcher, said people appear divided on the practice.
The research shows 38 percent of participants believe it is 'fair' for voters with family ties to register outside their place of residence, while 26 percent say it is 'never fair'.
Another 20 percent say voters should have the right to register wherever they believe their vote holds the most value.
For example, in the Aoke/Langalanga constituency, research participants expressed dissatisfaction at the election process because they felt they were outnumbered by voters who lived in Malaita and Honiara in their local area.
The feedback to researchers was that cross-border voting undermines the ability of their local community to elect representatives who prioritise their needs.
According to electoral regulations, voters can register in a constituency they have lived in for at least six months.
People are also eligible to register in a constituency where they have ancestral ties. On polling day, however, voters must physically cast their ballot in the constituency they are registered to. Some exceptions are made for remote ballots, such as police officers working on election day.
"You can see with the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission data that some constituencies have grown by more than 50 percent, some as high as 60 percent, while other constituencies have shrunk in terms of their size," Wiltshire said.
"But there is no consistency across the whole of Solomon Islands in the voter roll increasing at the same amount.
"Different constituencies are growing enormously, while other constituencies are contracting or growing at a very small rate. So, this is an indicator that cross-border registrations are not happening only in Aoke/Langalanga. It is common practice across all of Solomon Islands."
The research also highlights how candidate behaviour contributes to cross-border registrations, particularly through incentives and material gifts and benefits.
Notably, 27 percent of participants observed candidates distributing gifts in their wards, while 14 percent reported instances of cash inducements.
The report also acknowledges the complexity of addressing these practices, with traditional gift-giving customs often blurring the line between cultural obligations and electoral bribery. That intersection of electoral practices and traditional customs further complicates enforcement of electoral regulations, the research says.
Overall, the report made 16 recommendations to address problems identified from last year's election.
With regards to cross-border registration, Wiltshire said more community understanding is needed.
"There needs to be civic awareness of the implications of citizens thinking 'I will not vote where I actually reside'. [And how following] a candidate to a close-by constituency, or even a constituency a lot further away...is potentially eroding democratic processes in Solomon Islands."
Anisi said the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission is already looking at how to address accessibility issues for elderly and disabled voters in the next election in 2028.
