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

Baron Waqa

 President-designate

Baron Waqa

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 suspended opposition MP Mathew Batsiua accused the government of using public funds to buy favor in the form of excessive, free inaugural flights.[3] In February 2016 another suspended opposition MP, former president Sprent Dabwido, claimed 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] In response 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 of public servants to resign their jobs three months in advance of 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
12345678910111213141516
AiwoMilton Dube2242386242107395.57Elected
Aaron Cook2431586911588391.35Elected
Dantes Tsitsi1496295129238291.52
Lance Agir3510227516497238.07
Preston Thoma22113181214143220.93
Invalid/blank votes12
Total685
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
AnabarRiddell Akua13410378595710361263.53Elected
Jaden Dogireiy1201058471655793254.04Elected
Ludwig Scotty116958674607193247.79
Pyon Deiye897696109768168224.66
Jeb Bop767779961248360212.04
Dawson Agege4549788893101141173.08
Corey Menke158995971209683167.27
Invalid/blank votes8
Total603
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
AnetanSean Oppenheimer148261101402631406767354.07Elected
Cyril Buraman22152434829246750247326.40Elected
Marcus Stephen1461355854413766110134298.77
Antonius Atuen13798898253394218358288.59
Geoffrey Thoma6042136101112157895034222.89
Fabian Ika2480116160130102894436207.88
Landon Deireragea2918961041081551308160178.80
Joseph Harris124372118164121868679171.78
Darryl Tom449737611811416911068159.88
Invalid/blank votes19
Total800
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
BoeAsterio Appi12395120512619258822248.63Elected
Baron Waqa15180432317312460140246.13Elected
Mathew Batsiua14446421720232579173225.75
Mike Dagiaro6514650404045589728203.69
Abraham Aremwa3845941028467912721164.01
Dale Cecil177752648284985639144.57
Geoffrey Harris20375986111124624624139.81
Randwick Capelle534801148874893748129.77
Kinza Clodumar613327298101968170109.22
Invalid/blank votes10
Total579
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
BuadaShadlog Bernicke2538287155361.75Elected
Bingham Agir156118184119306.08Elected
Sean Halstead6127614991271.42
Linkbelt Detabene107101157212262.83
Invalid/blank votes3
Total580
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
MenengTawaki Kam28228411263292323293813980519.02Elected
Lionel Aingimea2371988143343263486974223436.22Elected
Vodrick Detsiogo12310813210670152141971014329337.26Elected
Sprent Dabwido13212581698279446771191161324.60
Squire Jeremiah89155110806852658480165154304.61
Robert Timothy805988155148128140971166724282.41
Elvin Brechtefeld43251631611061061151121097092246.85
Deci Temaki423972107244136114130748559238.34
Rykers Solomon30517696751601561541527874219.45
Bweresallas Temaki143967151167161143107847693213.01
Doneke Kepae3017121688176100177205116111205.58
Invalid/blank votes31
Total1,133
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
UbenideDavid Adeang2712441629074463731372942434310676174542.36Elected
Ranin Akua2691002446755605748462745383286150181497.21Elected
Russ Kun1371922402362107269554141323430285038467.15Elected
Valdon Dowiyogo1602629063475031476458696775147159116423.67Elected
Reagan Aliklik1081369913515992816768575151564988208358.65
Vyko Adeang13462551731547766877711986101124856738349.66
Gabrissa Hartman86931601231211731529473776112870432922346.87
David Detageauwa9274698775777789109125117107183957455297.11
Freddie Pitcher809548558276586665748412911982149243275.99
Aloysius Amwano573666113627783779210512012612119610470248.71
Fabian Ribauw48575564909899941251051391341378011664247.24
Albert Teimitsi263046679712817811011811619410069948844224.31
David Dowiyogo142556788513713612020310911093146966136214.54
Kay Aliklik6305376821551921071721771058787607145212.83
Renos Agege13404242571081001261071621371511291359165199.76
Darnard Dongobir421273556859328110812211411484123131107180.76
Invalid/blank votes74
Total1,579
ConstituencyCandidatePreference votesTotalNotes
12345678910111213141516
YarenCharmaine Scotty25510333245138340.03Elected
Kieren Keke12252468265137219.67Elected
Robbie Eoe7113256519698203.95
John Mackay111191281238241167.15
Daigon Julius413595111118104158.85
Brian Amwano4621441179186144.78
Invalid/blank votes6
Total510
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. 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. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Election observers travel to Nauru". Loop Nauru. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Commonwealth election observers head to Nauru, led by former President of Kiribati". Loop Nauru. 30 June 2016. 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. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Observers say Nauru polling day free and fair". Loop Nauru. 11 July 2016. 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. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  23. ↑ "Constitution of Nauru". The President III, Constitution of 29 January 1968 (PDF). The Parliament of Nauru. 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. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  27. ↑ "Two Nauru election petitions struck out". Loop Nauru. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
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