Voters in Hulhumalé and Vilimalé to Vote in Malé for North Hithadhoo By-Election

The Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) has said voters who cast their ballots at stations in Hulhumalé and Vilimalé during last month’s local council elections will vote at the Malé ballot box in the upcoming by-election for the North Hithadhoo constituency.

The North Hithadhoo by-election is scheduled for 6 June 2026.

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On Tuesday, the Secretary General of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Shazlee Shafeeq, wrote to the ECM noting that no ballot station had been set up in Hulhumalé for the by-election. She said this could affect the voting rights of around 300 people who had previously voted there in April and requested that a ballot station be established in Hulhumalé.

Responding to concerns raised by the opposition, the ECM told MV+ that the arrangement had been misunderstood.

“Those who voted in Villingili and Hulhumale’ during the Local Council Election will be set by default to vote at the Male’ ballot boxes for the Addu by-election. They will not need to re-register,” a media official for ECM said. 

The official added that voters would only need to re-register if they wished to vote in Addu City instead.

Two candidates are contesting the North Hithadhoo seat: Ahmed Saeed of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) and Abdulla Sodiq of the MDP.