Former President Mohamed Nasheed has expressed his support for implementing a preferential voting system in the Maldives, endorsing a one-round presidential election contingent on the adoption of this method.
Taking to X, Nasheed stated that a single-round presidential election would be a sound policy if it employed preferential voting; a stance that aligns with growing support from the ruling Progressive National Congress (PNC) and its affiliates.
On Wednesday, the PNC officially launched a campaign advocating for the introduction of preferential voting in the Maldives. Minister of State for Defence and PNC Secretary General, Muaz Haleem, also backed the proposal, emphasising its potential to reduce duplication of resources and the financial burden associated with conducting a second round of elections.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, in his Presidential Address on 11 November 2024, revealed that the Attorney General had been tasked with researching the implementation of preferential voting. The President noted that this system is already in use in several democratic nations, and highlighted its potential to significantly reduce election costs and conserve public resources. He further stated that, should research and public sentiment be favourable, a proposal would be submitted to Parliament to amend the current electoral process and eliminate the need for a second round of voting.
Preferential voting, also known as ranked-choice voting, is already practised in countries such as Sri Lanka (for presidential elections) and India (in the Upper House of Parliament). It is fully implemented in national elections in Australia and Ireland.
Preferential voting allows voters to rank candidates by preference. If no candidate receives over 50 per cent of first-choice votes, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and votes are redistributed until a majority is reached. Supporters argue the system strengthens democratic representation and reduces election costs. Additionally, it encourages reduces polarisation, allowing voters to support their genuine preferences without fear of ‘wasting’ their vote.
