Candidate Nomination Procedures

Through the candidate nomination process, political parties are required to show that their candidates meet the basic requirements for taking part in the elections as far as minimum age, being registered voters, and any other qualifications set in the Constitution or the law. The same applies to independent candidates.

Aspiring candidates for the national Parliament need to lodge with the VEO, within the nomination period as declared by the EC, a declaration of candidature in the corresponding form dully filled-in and signed by him, including a declaration that the applicant is eligible as provided by the law. The aspiring candidate should also make a deposit of VT 100,000 (non-refundable), as well as two full face personal photographs. Candidates nominated by a political party will be issued with the corresponding symbol as approved by the EC; independent candidates are required to produce an illustration on paper of his/her personal electoral symbol (the symbol should be in black and white and should not include any words).

A declaration of candidature shall also contain the signatures of not less than ten sponsors, which need to be persons registered to vote in the constituency of the candidate and not being related to the candidate. When receiving a declaration of candidature, the PEO will give a receipt to the candidate.

No person is allowed to lodge a declaration of his own candidature for more than one constituency; or if he is a member of Parliament in the case of a by-election. Political parties are allowed to nominate more than one candidate in a constituency.

The PEO will, within 24 hours after the end of the nomination period, make a list of the candidates named in the declarations of candidature received by him and send copies to the EC, along with his comments on the validity of the candidature of any person named in the list.

The EC will declare a candidature invalid if the candidate or his sponsors do not have the necessary qualifications or are disqualified. The decision of the EC that a candidature is valid or invalid is final and cannot be overruled.

A list of candidates shall be displayed at the office of every Local Government Council, the Parliament Building, the VEO and any other places in Vanuatu chosen by the EC for not less than 14 days before polling day.

If a political party candidate is declared ineligible or dies more than 14 days before the election, the party is allowed to propose a new candidate as long as their declaration of candidacy is received within 72 hours of the death or declaration of ineligibility of the previous candidate. If the new candidate is approved, their name will be displayed on the candidate list for at least nine days.

An intending candidate for a local government council election must lodge, with a registration officer in the local government region in which the election is to be held, a declaration of candidature signed by him or her in the official form. The declaration must be submitted within the stipulated period by the EC. Additionally, the intending candidate must make a (non-refundable) deposit of VT 20,000, and present two full face photographs of himself or herself. Except for a candidate sponsored by a political party having a symbol approved by the EC, the applicant must also present an illustration on paper of his/her personal electoral symbol. A declaration of candidature must also contain the signatures of not less than five sponsors who are registered to vote in the local government region and not related to the candidate.

No person may lodge a declaration of his/her own candidature for more than one local government region.

The registration officer who receives a declaration must forward the declaration immediately to the PEO, who must, as soon as practicable, send a receipt to the candidate. Within 48 hours after receiving all declarations, the PEO must make a list of the candidates named in the declarations, and give copies to the EC together with comments on the validity of the candidature of any person named in the list.

The EC can declare a candidature invalid if the candidate or his sponsors do not have the necessary qualifications or are disqualified; or the declaration of candidature is not sponsored as provided in the rules.

The EC may, where it considers that a declaration of candidature is invalid by reason of a bona fide error, request the candidate to resubmit a valid declaration within 72 hours after such request, but not less than 14 days before polling day. Where a declaration of candidature sponsored by a political party is declared invalid by the EC or a candidate dies not less than 14 days before polling day, another candidate sponsored by the same party may lodge a declaration of candidature provided that he does so within 72 hours of the declaration or death.

A list of candidates will be displayed at the offices of the local government council, the Parliament building, the office of the Minister, the VEO, and any other places in the local government region as the Minister may direct, for not less than 14 days before polling day.

Every intending candidate for municipal councils must lodge, no later than the date fixed for the return of candidature, a declaration of candidature signed by him in the official form, including a declaration that the candidate is eligible as provided for in the law and regulations; two full face photographs of himself. Independent candidates or candidates with political parties without official symbol, need to present an illustration on paper of his personal electoral symbol. There is a non-refundable nomination fee of VT20,000.

A declaration of candidature must also contain the signatures of not less than five sponsors being persons registered to vote in the municipality of the candidate and not being related to the candidate. No person may lodge a declaration of his own candidature for more than one ward; or, in the case of a by-election, if he is a member of the municipal council.

The electoral officer who receives a declaration of candidature gives a receipt to the candidate forwards the declaration immediately to the VEO. The PEO makes, within 24 hours of the day declared by the Minister responsible for the Municipalities (the Minister), a list of the candidates named in declarations of candidature received by the VEO and send copies to the Minister. The PEO sends comments on the validity of the candidature of any person named in the list. The Minister can declare a candidature invalid if the candidate or his sponsors do not have the necessary qualifications or are disqualified; or the declaration of candidature is not sponsored as provided in the regulations.

The Minister can, where he considers that a declaration of candidature is invalid by reason of a bona fide error, request the candidate to resubmit a valid declaration within 48 hours after such request, but not less than four days before polling day. Where a declaration of candidature sponsored by a political party is declared invalid by the Minister, or a candidate dies not less than four days before polling day, another candidate sponsored by the same party may lodge a declaration of candidature provided that he does so within 48 hours of the declaration or death.

A list of candidates is displayed, for not less than four days before polling day, at the Town Hall, the Parliament building, the office of the Minister, the VEO and such other places in the municipality as the Minister may direct.