ECM Announces Additional Round of Voting for Two Council and Three WDC Seats

The Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) has announced that two local council seats and three Women’s Development Committee (WDC) seats will proceed to an additional round of voting.

The decision follows the nationwide elections held on 4 April, which covered local council elections, WDC elections, and a public referendum on whether to ratify the proposed Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment would allow presidential and parliamentary elections to be held simultaneously.

The ECM said multiple candidates received an equal number of votes in several constituencies, requiring a second round of voting under the Local Council Elections Act and the regulations governing the 2026 local council and WDC elections.

The second round of the council elections will determine representatives for the women’s reserved seat in Baa Atoll Dhonfanu Council and for the Fuvahmulah City Dhadimagu constituency seat, which is also reserved for women.

Candidates contesting the Baa Atoll Dhonfanu Council seat are PNC candidate Aishath Muna and MDP candidate Aminath Rafah.

For the Fuvahmulah City Dhadimagu constituency seat, PNC candidate Aishath Abdul Qadir and independent candidate Sheeza Ibrahim will contest.

The second round of the WDC elections will select the president of the Haa Atoll Kelaa Committee, as well as members for the Haa Dhaalu Atoll Neykurendhoo Committee and the Laamu Atoll Maavah Committee.

The ECM is currently making final preparations for the additional vote. It also confirmed that re-registration for voters wishing to change their voting location for the second round will open tomorrow.

The 4 April elections recorded a turnout of more than 73 percent, with 215,346 people casting ballots.