Feb. 2015—On Sept. 17, 2014, nearly half a million Fijian citizens went to the polls to elect all 50 members of parliament. It marked the first national elections since a 2006 coup.

USAID witnessed this historic occasion as a member of an international observation effort. The mood around the South Pacific island nation was electric.

“I want a new government—one that will bring a good Fiji,” said one voter.

“When I entered the polling area, I was a little nervous because I was thinking about who to support,” remarked a 20-year-old indigenous Fijian woman.

Encouraging voters to get to the booth didn’t happen overnight.

USAID’s Supporting Free, Fair, Honest and Credible Elections in Fiji project, which began in May 2014, focused on supporting a democratic transition in Fiji while advancing USAID’s work to strengthen democratic institutions in the Pacific.

In the weeks and months leading up to the election, USAID supported person-to-person voter education and radio broadcasts, disseminating information to more than 260,000 Fijians. With the adoption of the island nation's 2013 constitution and updated electoral system, citizens needed guidance navigating key changes, inlcuding use of an English-only ballot.

USAID also took part in third-party oversight of election proceedings through the Multinational Observer Group instituted by the Fiji Government. Comprised of 14 member countries and organized in 42 teams of two or three, the group dispersed across the country to observe polling centers at various phases of the election.

On Election Day, voters assembled in polling stations in schoolhouses and village centers to mark their ballots. In the end, they elected all 50 parliamentarians into office, including eight women, a historic 16 percent of parliamentary representatives.

Overall, Fiji’s election was deemed credible, with 84 percent of registered voters casting a ballot. Observers determined that the election broadly represented the will of the people and stated that they did not detect any fraud or deliberate misconduct, having observed more than one-third of polling stations. Young Fijians were enthusiastic about voting for the first time, reporting that they understood the voting procedure and were confident that their votes counted.

In final support for Fiji's transition to an elected government, USAID trained civil society leaders and parliamentarians to engage on policy issues in a town hall format. The project came to a close in January 2015.

As an indicator of the project's success, one Fijian declared, “I should vote. I am a citizen and it’s my right.”

By expanding and strengthening its voter education and monitoring efforts, the Fijian Government can become more accountable and responsive to the needs of its citizens, thereby promoting confidence in the government and advancing prosperity and stability throughout the nation.

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