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Brief Profiles of Countries, EMBs and Partner Organisations of A-WEB
4. No. of Members in EMB Registration on the Roll is open to Tongans 21
3 years of age or older and is mandatory!
5. Terms of office 3. Method of voter registration
5 years All permanent residents/citizens over the age of
14 in Tonga are eligible to register for an ID card.
6. EMB Members selected by
King; EMB 4. Name of the Document viz Electoral Photo Identity
Card
7. Chairperson’s Appointing Authority When voting, Electors prove their identity by
Appointments for Chairman and 1 Commissioner showing to the Polling Staff on duty at a Polling
are made by the King. The third Commissioner is Station either a Tongan National ID Card or a
an ex officio appointment of an official known as Tongan Passport. Both contain a photograph.
the Supervisor of Elections.
5. Voter turnout in last National Elections: Total,
8. Names of Elections conducted by EMB Percentage
The Commission is responsible for ALL At the 2017 National Elections turnout was 67%;
Parliamentary and “Local Government” elections and at the 2019 “Local Government” Elections the
and by- elections. In Tonga “Local Government” turnout was 57% overall.
means the 4 yearly election of District and Town
Officers. 6. Voting Method
Manual marking of Ballots
9. Titles of Electoral Legislation(s)
All of the following (as amended to date) :- 7. Audit Trail
Act of Constitution of Tonga After an election (or by- election) the following
audit procedures are carried out:-
Electoral Act 1989
Audit of candidates election income and
Electoral Commission Act 2010 expenditure
Legislative Assembly Act Follow up checks on electors who presented no
District and Town Officers Act valid photo ID when voting
District and Town Officers (Election) Investigation of all Complaints received (if any)
Regulations 2019 Review of whole election management process.
Electoral Regulations 2010 [now out of date; 8. Voting Process
being redrafted] On polling day an elector will, from the list of
Electoral (Elections of Representatives of the candidates on the ballot paper, choose ONE and
Nobles Regulations 2017) only one by placing a tick (images) in the circle
opposite the candidate of your choice.
Elector Petition Rules 2016- being Rules of the
Supreme Court. 1. The ballot paper shall be in the general form of
(B) ELECTORAL PROCESS form 5 of the Schedule hereto and shall show
on the face of it the names and addresses of
1. Total Population as on the candidates.
0.1 Million (Feb. 2019)
2. After checking against the final roll that the
2. Registered Electors as on elector is entitled to vote the returning officer
The Population of Tonga (2016 census) is shall cross out the elector’s name on the roll,
105,982; the number of Electors registered on the initial at the back of the ballot paper and then
Electoral Roll (December 2019) is 59, 561; and hand the ballot paper to him.
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