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Referendum 2020

On 26th March 2020 the Single Constituency Referendum will take place. Registered electors will be asked to vote whether they support The Single Constituency Bill 2020 (the “Bill”) to change to a single constituency representing the population of the Falkland Islands or, if they do not support the Bill and wish to maintain two constituency representations.

There are currently two constituencies in the Islands:

  • Camp, which elects 3 members to the Legislative Assembly
  • Stanley, which elects 5 members to the Legislative Assembly

As of 1st May 2019, there were 270 electors in Camp and 1249 electors in Stanley

The Bill can only be brought into law if two-thirds or more of the valid votes cast from each constituency vote in support of it on 26th March 2020. If it becomes law, all voters in future General Elections and By-Elections would have the opportunity to vote to elect all 8 Members to the Legislative Assembly who would represent all constituents of the Falkland Islands.

The Bill has been published in the Falkland Islands Gazette and can be found below.

Files:
pdf.png Single Constituency Bill 2020 1
Date 2020-02-07 10:47:39 File Size 96.06 KB Download 31 Download

Make sure you can vote!

Voting options for the Referendum will be the same as for a General or By-Election. Registered voters may vote in person or apply to vote by post, nominate a proxy or a nominated proxy may apply to submit their proxy vote via post. Further information can be found on this website or by contacting the Registration Officer on registrargeneral@townhall.gov.fk or ‘phone 27271. Guidance leaflets with this information will also be sent to all households.

The final date for registering to vote in the Referendum will be midday on Thursday 12th March 2020.

If you want to check whether or not you are registered to vote or if you have any queries about registering to vote, you should contact the Registration Officer, using the contact details noted above.

The Register of Electors

 The Registrar General, as the Registration Officer, is required to maintian a Register of Electors for each constituency (Camp & Stanley).

A canvass is conducted annually on the 15th March with the updated Registers Gazetted in May.  Persons entitled to register as electors may do so at any time however, updated Registers will only be updated as and when required.

Register of Electors at 1st May 2019

pdf.png Register of Electors 1 May 2019 HOT
Date 2019-05-03 09:26:34 File Size 555.61 KB Download 1,160 Download

Application to be added to the Register

pdf.png Application to Register as Elector (Electoral Form VI) HOT
Date 2018-07-16 09:06:59 File Size 1.21 MB Download 382 Download

Eligibility to be inlcuded in the Register

Section 8 of the Electoral Ordinance 1998 states:

(1) To be entitled to be registered in the Register of Electors, a person must satisfy each of the three conditions in subsections (2) to (4).

(2) The first condition is that the person-

     (a)     must be qualified under section 32(1) of the Constitution* to be registered as an elector for the purpose of the election of members of the Legislative Assembly; and

     (b)     must not be disqualified under section 32(2) of the Constitution.

(3) The second condition is that the person must, on the qualifying date, either-

     (a)     be resident in the Falkland Islands; or

     (b)     be treated as being resident in the Falkland Islands under section 8A, 8B or 8C.

(4) The third condition is that the person must, throughout the qualifying period, either-

     (a)     have been resident in the Falkland Islands; or

     (b)     have been treated as being resident in the Falkland Islands under section 8A, 8B or 8C.

(5) For the purposes of section 32(5)(c) of the Constitution-

     (a)     "qualifying date" means, in relation to a person, means the date on which an application for registration is either-

           (i)       made; or

          (ii)       treated under section 11(2) as having been made; and

     (b)     "qualifying period" means the period of 12 months ending on the qualifying date.

 

Section 32(2) of the Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008 Order states:

(2) No person shall be qualified to be registered as an elector under this section who on the qualifying date—

    (a) is a person certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind under any law;

   (b) is serving a sentence of imprisonment (by whatever name called) for a term of at least twelve months imposed on him or her by a court in any country or substituted by competent authority for some other sentence imposed on him or her by such a court;

  (c) is disqualified by or under any law from being registered as an elector by reason of having been convicted of an offence relating to elections;

  (d) is a member of the regular armed forces of Her Majesty, unless he or she possesses Falkland Islands status; or

  (e) is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign Power or State.

 

* the Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008