One vote, two elections: Maldives weighs democratic trade-offs

Twice every five years, Maldivian schools shut down, students struggle to study through campaign noise, and the government spends MVR 300 million (US$ 19.4 million) on separate presidential and parliamentary elections six months apart. Voters could soon decide whether to change this system – and potentially reshape Maldivian democracy.

In his Republic Day address in November, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced plans to seek public approval for conducting both polls on the same day. He proposed other electoral reforms, including the introduction of ranked choice or preferential voting, and reverting Inauguration Day to November 11.

In April, the president told ruling party lawmakers that he intends to call a public referendum this year. All of the proposals would require constitutional amendments that could be ratified “only after a public referendum decides so by a majority of the votes cast,” according to the constitution. The requirement applies to any changes to the charter of rights and freedoms (chapter two) and to provisions specifying both the terms of office and the conduct of the presidential election. 

The president and parliament have the authority to call public referendums on issues of public or national importance.

"The government’s justification of such a policy through ‘cutting costs’ is insincere when wasteful political expenditure is at an all time high,” MDP Chairman Fayyaz Ismail responded at the time.

“The staggering of presidential and parliamentary elections are a necessary feature of our constitution; to merge the two will limit the parliament’s ability to serve as a check to the administration.” 

However, he conceded "merit in merging the presidential and local council elections. Aligning the visions of local and central development will allow for better execution of developmental agendas," he said.

In July last year, Fuwad Thowfeek, who chaired the Elections Commission at the time, backed concurrent parliamentary and presidential polls. 

It costs about MVR 300 million to hold both the presidential election, which could include a run-off if no candidate wins a clear majority in the first round, followed by the parliamentary elections, according to Fuwad, who estimated savings of about MVR 150 million if the polls could be combined.

It could make it easier to recruit election officials, reduce logistical problems and bring down costs incurred in setting up polling stations, Fuwad told the media.

The proposal had been discussed with parliament when the commission was forced to delay the 2020 local council elections during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ismail Habeeb Abdul Raheem, former vice president of the Elections Commission, told the Maldives Independent. 

"When we look at expenses incurred. This is definitely a way to reduce cost. Globally too, a lot of countries hold major elections together," Habeeb observed.

"There will be other benefits like not having to train officials again, starting work within six months of the last election. Sometimes even before we have received the budget. The transport of ballot boxes will be reduced. It is likely that the only unchanged cost is printing ballots, depending whether the change will ask for a single ballot or separate ballots, but all other costs will reduce greatly."

Mohamed Zahid, the current EC president, said the commission was ready to implement any changes required by law.

Concurrent elections would "definitely reduce expenditure by a lot," he said, noting however that any detailed consideration would be premature since there has been no further developments since the president's announcement. The implications would be clearer once the legal changes are worked out, he said.

Schools bear a burden as the primary venue for polling stations. Some schools have experienced difficulty when elections fell during exam periods, which also affects academic performance due to loud campaign activities, Habeeb noted.

The problem is particularly acute in the congested capital Malé where campaign meeting halls are located in residential neighbourhoods. Many other islands lack alternate spaces for quiet study. 

"My eldest child also went through this when he did his O-levels. There was a campaign centre next to where we lived and the noise made it very difficult to study," Habeeb recalled.

Electing the president and parliament simultaneously would address the ruling party's control over state resources to influence the outcome, Habeeb suggested. 

In the last two election cycles, the president's party secured a comfortable supermajority in parliament, winning enough seats to remove judges and amend the constitution without bipartisan support.  

"Many people are inclined to vote for the party in power during the time of the parliamentary elections. So this change might reduce the level of influence," Habeeb said.

Both Habeeb and Fuwad expected voter turnout to improve and reach 90 percent if the elections are combined.

The turnout usually declines in the parliamentary elections compared to the presidential election, falling even further for the local council elections, Habeeb noted. "So if they combine both elections, the turnout will be higher, I think it will have a positive impact on the voter turnout," he said.

A report by the Westminster foundation for democracy found that candidates allegedly spend millions to buy votes. Campaigns typically cost between MVR 2 million and MVR 15 million, according to the "Cost of Politics" study, which was based on interviews with 22 key informants, including 13 recent parliamentary candidates.

Habeeb also flagged vote buying as his main concern.

"People publicly say that they sell their votes, it's very wrong. Each citizen must use their right to cast their vote responsibly," he urged.

Azza Mohamed, governance manager for Transparency Maldives, a civil society organisation that has been observing elections since 2008, outlined the risks and benefits.

While combined elections could reduce costs with better resource allocation and boost voter turnout, rushed changes could weaken oversight over electoral abuses, exacerbating vote-buying and the abuse of state resources, which skews the playing field in favour of the incumbent.

Azza stressed the importance of a transparent referendum that ensures public buy-in and informed participation, as the lack of meaningful consultation could alienate voters. "Without a transparent referendum, the public risks losing its constitutional veto power, weakening the democratic principle that state power derives from the people," she told the Maldives Independent.

Giving the Elections Commission the discretion to schedule polls has been floated as an option. But the five-year terms of both the president and members of parliament would remain a complication.

"For example, we have to extend the sitting president's term, but the public is unlikely to accept that," Habeeb explained. "Then another option could be to reduce the term of parliamentarians to four years and six months, providing them compensation for ending their term prematurely. Even though they will not be working those six months, given they were elected for a five year term, they should be provided compensation."

The president and MPs would still be sworn in on different dates, he noted.

Transparency Maldives backed a "transparent, inclusive and informed referendum process" grounded in civic education. "Low civic awareness fuels vulnerabilities like vote-buying, while lack of research undermines systemic reform and efficacy," said Azza.

"A system-wide, whole-of-society reform, anchored by a meaningful public referendum, is essential to ensure inclusive, transparent changes that uphold fairness and public trust."