Heavy rain has forced more than a dozen polling places in Fiji to close early on election day, affecting 7,852 people, who officials say will be permitted to cast their votes at a later date. Fiji’s supervisor of elections, Mohammad Saneem, told a press conference the 23 polling venues in question were no longer accessible due to rising water levels. “It appears that the waters are rising as I speak, and therefore it has become necessary [for me] to consider adjourning polling at these locations,” he said. Mr Saneem said polling at those locations would begin at a later date, to be announced following consultations between his office and Fiji’s Electoral Commission.
Voting ended at 6:00pm (local time), and he urged Fijians to brave the weather and cast their votes throughout the day.
“The voting numbers at this point in time need to increase as much as a possible,” Mr Saneem said.
“We still have time to urge our family members and friends to come out in large numbers and vote.”
Full Article: Fiji election disrupted as heavy rain forces more than a dozen polling places to close – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).