Residents of Addu City began voting on Saturday in a pivotal referendum that could reshape the governance structure of the southern atoll. Polls opened at 8 a.m. and will remain active until 4 p.m., with voting underway across the islands of Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo, as well as in the capital, Malé.
The ballot initiative, authorised by presidential decree following a resolution by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, seeks to determine whether the three islands should retain their shared administrative framework under the Addu City Council or transition to independent local councils. Each electorate has been presented with a tailored question: Hulhudhoo residents are asked whether they support the formation of a separate island council; Meedhoo and Feydhoo voters are similarly asked whether they wish to withdraw from the Addu City Council and establish autonomous governance.
Polling infrastructure has been deployed across designated locations. According to the Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM), 18 ballot boxes have been distributed: seven in Malé at Kalaafaanu School, five in Feydhoo, three in Hulhudhoo, and three in Meedhoo.
To ensure procedural integrity, oversight mechanisms have been instituted. The ECM reports that 78 parties have registered to serve as monitors, while 57 parties will participate as observers.
Ballot counting is scheduled to begin following a 30-minute interval after polls close. Preliminary results will be announced directly at polling centres, with final results expected from the ECM on Sunday.
The referendum encompasses 9,576 eligible voters, including 225 individuals who re-registered to cast their ballots at locations other than their home islands. Voter distribution across the ballot boxes is as follows:
The outcome will determine whether Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo continue under unified municipal governance or pursue independent administrative structures, marking a potential turning point in the political configuration of Addu City.