Election Commission of Maldives (ECM) Member, Hassan Zakariyya, has warned that declining public confidence in politicians and the democratic system is a key factor behind reduced voter turnout. He made the remarks while speaking at a panel discussion organised by ECM and Public Service Media (PSM) to mark Voters' Day.
Hassan said the power of the people is reflected in elections and therefore, low voter participation is a warning sign that threatens the democratic system.
Hassan said a significant percentage of the eligible voters in next year's local council elections will be first-time voters. He said the low turnout was also observed within the same demographic. Therefore, the reasons why young people are reluctant to vote should be identified and addressed, he said.
Hassan said one of the main reasons for the decline in voter turnout in the Maldives is the lack of hope and trust in politicians and the democratic system. This stems from elected officials’ failure to produce results, he noted. Therefore, political parties should increase the public participation in formulating policies or manifestos to rebuild this trust, he said.
"When a government comes to power with the support of the people and begins implementing policies, citizens should feel that their views were considered. They should be able to say, ‘what I suggested is now being implemented as government policy," he said.
Hassan further suggested that political parties should adopt more engaging techniques in their campaigns to reach young voters. In addition to going door-to-door, rallies can be held to interest the youth, he said. He also urged authorities to address difficulties faced by voters on voting day to make the process more accessible.
The number of voters in the elections held in the Maldives is generally high in proportion to the population. However, statistics show that young people are significantly less interested in voting. The ECM, the government and political parties should take more action to reverse this trend, Hassan said.