30 Oct 2012

Questions over validity of Vanuatu roll remains as nations goes to polls today

5:32 am on 30 October 2012

Questions remain about the validity of Vanuatu's electoral roll as the nation goes to the polls today.

Vanuatu's ninth general election since gaining independence in 1980 has a record number of candidates contesting and what appears to be a record number of eligible voters.

Johnny Blades reports from Port Vila:

"Vanuatu's electoral roll currently lists over 192-thousand names. However since the last national census in 2009 put the figure of eligible voters at around 120-thousand, Transparency International Vanuatu has questioned how such a large increase in the number of voters could have occurred. As yet, the Electoral Commission has not responded to the concerns. Meanwhile the Commission says everything is on track for a free and fair election. International oberservers from Australia, China, the European Union, New Zealand and the United States are being provided to monitor polling stations in some electorates including the main urban centres."