2016 Nauruan parliamentary election

2016 Nauruan parliamentary election
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Presidential vote
 
Nominee Baron Waqa Riddell Akua
Electoral vote 16 2
President before election

Baron Waqa

 President-designate

Baron Waqa

Politics of Nauru
Constitution
Institutions
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
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Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 9 July 2016.[1] Parliament was dissolved by President Baron Waqa on 10 June after it completed its three-year term. Speaker Ludwig Scotty called the elections for 9 July, with nominations taking place between 19 and 25 June.

Electoral system

The 19 members of Parliament were elected from eight multi-member constituencies using the Dowdall system, a version of ranked voting; voters ranked candidates, with the votes counted as a fraction of 1 divided by the ranking number (e.g. a candidate ranked second will be scored as ½); the candidates with the highest total are elected.[2]

Conduct

Opposition politicians in Nauru expressed concerns about the legitimacy of the election. In December 2015, opposition MP Mathew Batsiua accused the government of using public funds to buy favor through excessive, free inaugural flights.[3] In February 2016 another suspended opposition MP, former president Sprent Dabwido, claimed that a new law requiring public servants to resign from their jobs three months ahead of election day was a tactic used to suppress prospective candidates from running.[4] Batsiua additionally claimed in March 2016 that the increase in candidacy fees from US$74 to US$1500 was a suppression tactic.[5] Responding to the increase in candidacy price, some prospective parliamentary candidates turned to crowdfunding. By May 2016, 18 prospective candidates had filed an application to the Supreme Court of Nauru to challenge the increased candidacy price.[6] In June, parliament reduced the candidacy fee from US$1500 to US$500, and abolished the requirement for public servants to resign their jobs three months before the election.[7][8]

In March 2016, former presidents Dabwido and Marcus Stephen accused the Baron Waqa government of attempting to rig the 2016 elections by suppressing protest, press access, and social media websites, as well as creating new barriers for prospective candidates, among other things. They requested representatives from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the Commonwealth Secretariat serve as international observers for the elections.[9] The PIF and the Commonwealth Secretariat signalled they would require an invitation from the government to observe the elections.[10][11] President Waqa expressed an openness to international observers.[12] By June, both the PIF and Commonwealth Secretariat confirmed that they would observe the election.[13] The observer teams arrived in July.[14] The Commonwealth Secretariat's team was led by Anote Tong, former president of Kiribati.[15]

Ahead of the election, Dabwido accused the government of preventing local media from running opposition campaign ads, as well as intervening with the police commissioner, preventing the opposition from holding a campaign rally.[16] Communications Minister Shadlog Bernicke explained that Nauru TV does not air political ads for either the government or opposition, and accused the opposition of using the foreign press to spread disinformation.[17] Bernicke further accused Dabwido of "political point scoring" and attempting to influence the international observers with lies.[18]

Both the PIF and Commonwealth Secretariat found the 2016 parliamentary elections to be free and fair.[19][20]

Results

Voting took place on 9 July, except in the Aiwo Constituency, where it was halted and delayed until 11 July.[21] This was due to a legal dispute brought by Tazio Gideon, who challenged the Electoral Commission's refusal of his nomination to stand in the election.[22]

Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Aiwo Milton Dube 224 238 62 42 107 395.57 Elected
Aaron Cook 243 158 69 115 88 391.35 Elected
Dantes Tsitsi 149 62 95 129 238 291.52
Lance Agir 35 102 275 164 97 238.07
Preston Thoma 22 113 181 214 143 220.93
Invalid/blank votes 12
Total 685
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Anabar Riddell Akua 134 103 78 59 57 103 61 263.53 Elected
Jaden Dogireiy 120 105 84 71 65 57 93 254.04 Elected
Ludwig Scotty 116 95 86 74 60 71 93 247.79
Pyon Deiye 89 76 96 109 76 81 68 224.66
Jeb Bop 76 77 79 96 124 83 60 212.04
Dawson Agege 45 49 78 88 93 101 141 173.08
Corey Menke 15 89 95 97 120 96 83 167.27
Invalid/blank votes 8
Total 603
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Anetan Sean Oppenheimer 148 261 101 40 26 31 40 67 67 354.07 Elected
Cyril Buraman 221 52 43 48 29 24 67 50 247 326.40 Elected
Marcus Stephen 146 135 58 54 41 37 66 110 134 298.77
Antonius Atuen 137 98 89 82 53 39 42 183 58 288.59
Geoffrey Thoma 60 42 136 101 112 157 89 50 34 222.89
Fabian Ika 24 80 116 160 130 102 89 44 36 207.88
Landon Deireragea 29 18 96 104 108 155 130 81 60 178.80
Joseph Harris 12 43 72 118 164 121 86 86 79 171.78
Darryl Tom 4 49 73 76 118 114 169 110 68 159.88
Invalid/blank votes 19
Total 800
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Boe Asterio Appi 123 95 120 51 26 19 25 88 22 248.63 Elected
Baron Waqa 151 80 43 23 17 31 24 60 140 246.13 Elected
Mathew Batsiua 144 46 42 17 20 23 25 79 173 225.75
Mike Dagiaro 65 146 50 40 40 45 58 97 28 203.69
Abraham Aremwa 38 45 94 102 84 67 91 27 21 164.01
Dale Cecil 17 77 52 64 82 84 98 56 39 144.57
Geoffrey Harris 20 37 59 86 111 124 62 46 24 139.81
Randwick Capelle 5 34 80 114 88 74 89 37 48 129.77
Kinza Clodumar 6 13 32 72 98 101 96 81 70 109.22
Invalid/blank votes 10
Total 579
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Buada Shadlog Bernicke 253 82 87 155 361.75 Elected
Bingham Agir 156 118 184 119 306.08 Elected
Sean Halstead 61 276 149 91 271.42
Linkbelt Detabene 107 101 157 212 262.83
Invalid/blank votes 3
Total 580
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Meneng Tawaki Kam 282 284 112 63 29 23 23 29 38 139 80 519.02 Elected
Lionel Aingimea 237 198 81 43 34 32 63 48 69 74 223 436.22 Elected
Vodrick Detsiogo 123 108 132 106 70 152 141 97 101 43 29 337.26 Elected
Sprent Dabwido 132 125 81 69 82 79 44 67 71 191 161 324.60
Squire Jeremiah 89 155 110 80 68 52 65 84 80 165 154 304.61
Robert Timothy 80 59 88 155 148 128 140 97 116 67 24 282.41
Elvin Brechtefeld 43 25 163 161 106 106 115 112 109 70 92 246.85
Deci Temaki 42 39 72 107 244 136 114 130 74 85 59 238.34
Rykers Solomon 30 51 76 96 75 160 156 154 152 78 74 219.45
Bweresallas Temaki 14 39 67 151 167 161 143 107 84 76 93 213.01
Doneke Kepae 30 17 121 68 81 76 100 177 205 116 111 205.58
Invalid/blank votes 31
Total 1,133
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Ubenide David Adeang 271 244 162 90 74 46 37 31 37 29 42 43 43 106 76 174 542.36 Elected
Ranin Akua 269 100 244 67 55 60 57 48 46 27 45 38 32 86 150 181 497.21 Elected
Russ Kun 137 192 240 236 210 72 69 55 41 41 32 34 30 28 50 38 467.15 Elected
Valdon Dowiyogo 160 262 90 63 47 50 31 47 64 58 69 67 75 147 159 116 423.67 Elected
Reagan Aliklik 108 136 99 135 159 92 81 67 68 57 51 51 56 49 88 208 358.65
Vyko Adeang 134 62 55 173 154 77 66 87 77 119 86 101 124 85 67 38 349.66
Gabrissa Hartman 86 93 160 123 121 173 152 94 73 77 61 128 70 43 29 22 346.87
David Detageauwa 92 74 69 87 75 77 77 89 109 125 117 107 183 95 74 55 297.11
Freddie Pitcher 80 95 48 55 82 76 58 66 65 74 84 129 119 82 149 243 275.99
Aloysius Amwano 57 36 66 113 62 77 83 77 92 105 120 126 121 196 104 70 248.71
Fabian Ribauw 48 57 55 64 90 98 99 94 125 105 139 134 137 80 116 64 247.24
Albert Teimitsi 26 30 46 67 97 128 178 110 118 116 194 100 69 94 88 44 224.31
David Dowiyogo 14 25 56 78 85 137 136 120 203 109 110 93 146 96 61 36 214.54
Kay Aliklik 6 30 53 76 82 155 192 107 172 177 105 87 87 60 71 45 212.83
Renos Agege 13 40 42 42 57 108 100 126 107 162 137 151 129 135 91 65 199.76
Darnard Dongobir 4 21 27 35 56 85 93 281 108 122 114 114 84 123 131 107 180.76
Invalid/blank votes 74
Total 1,579
Constituency Candidate Preference votes Total Notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Yaren Charmaine Scotty 255 103 33 24 51 38 340.03 Elected
Kieren Keke 122 52 46 82 65 137 219.67 Elected
Robbie Eoe 71 132 56 51 96 98 203.95
John Mackay 11 119 128 123 82 41 167.15
Daigon Julius 41 35 95 111 118 104 158.85
Brian Amwano 4 62 144 117 91 86 144.78
Invalid/blank votes 6
Total 510
Source: Nauru Electoral Commission

Presidential election

On 13 July the newly elected MPs elected the president, who was required by the constitution be a member of parliament.[23] All new members joined the presidential majority, allowing Waqa to be re-elected president by sixteen votes to two against opposition Nauru First candidate Riddell Akua.

Cyril Buraman was elected Speaker.[24][25] Ludwig Scotty, the speaker of the previous Parliament, had lost his seat in Anabar. On 30 May 2019, there was a by-election after MP Jaden Dogireiy was disqualified from parliament, in which Scotty was elected.[26]

In September Dale Cecil, a candidate in Boe Constituency, filed an election petition against Waqa, accusing him of bribery and breaking advertisement law. Dabwido filed an election petition against Lionel Aingimea and Tawaki Kam in the Meneng Constituency. Both petitions were thrown out due to legal technicalities.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Speaker appoints 9 July for general elections". The Government of Nauru. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  2. ^ Electoral system IPU
  3. ^ "Nauru govt accused of pre-election bribes". Radio New Zealand. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  4. ^ "New law designed to eliminate political rivals - Nauru MP". Radio New Zealand. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Nauru hikes election fees 20 fold". Radio New Zealand. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Prospective Nauru election candidates turn to crowdfunding". Radio New Zealand. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Nauru govt backs down over onerous election fees". Radio New Zealand. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  8. ^ "We want our jobs back - candidates in Nauru". Radio New Zealand. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  9. ^ Davidson, Helen (14 March 2016). "Nauru election: former presidents say moves to 'rig' result under way". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Commonwealth says no invite yet to observe Nauru poll". Loop Nauru. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  11. ^ Davidson, Helen (15 March 2016). "Nauru election monitors 'would need to be invited'". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Nauru open to election observers". Radio New Zealand. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Forum and Commonwealth will observe Nauru elections". Loop Nauru. 30 June 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Election observers travel to Nauru". Loop Nauru. 2 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Commonwealth election observers head to Nauru, led by former President of Kiribati". Loop Nauru. 30 June 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Nauru opposition alleges campaign interference". Radio New Zealand. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Campaign interference claims dog Nauru election". Radio New Zealand. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Nauru Opposition false claims show election eve desperation says Government". Loop Nauru. 7 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Observers say Nauru polling day free and fair". Loop Nauru. 11 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  20. ^ "NAURU NATIONAL ELECTIONS 2016 REPORT OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM ELECTION OBSERVER TEAM" (PDF). Pacific Island Forum Secretariat. p. 1. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Nauru election: President Baron Waqa re-elected as voting in Aiwo constituency postponed". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Voting hold up in one Nauru constituency". Loop Nauru. 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  23. ^ Constitution of Nauru (PDF) (Constitution, The President III). The Parliament of Nauru. 29 January 1968. p. 12-13.
  24. ^ Returning Nauru Govt promises more stability Radio New Zealand, 13 July 2016
  25. ^ 13/7/16 NTV news report NTV News, 13 July 2016
  26. ^ "Ludwig Scotty returns to Nauru parliament after by-election". Loop Nauru (Press release). 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  27. ^ "Two Nauru election petitions struck out". Loop Nauru. 13 September 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.