President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has formally endorsed the adoption of a preferential voting system for presidential elections, proposing a single-round process designed to eliminate the need for runoffs. His announcement, shared via his newly established WhatsApp channel, underscores his commitment to electoral reform and direct communication with the public.
In his statement, President Dr Muizzu described preferential voting as the model he champions for future elections. This system would allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring a winner is determined without requiring a second round of voting. This proposal marks a significant departure from the current electoral framework, which mandates that a candidate must secure more than 50 percent of votes in the first round to avoid a runoff. Since the Maldives adopted the presidential system, every election has proceeded to a second round due to the absence of a first-round majority.
The initiative has garnered support from former President Mohamed Nasheed, who publicly endorsed the proposal in a statement shared on social media.
Preferential voting systems are already in use in several major democracies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, where voters rank multiple candidates instead of selecting a single contender.
The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has previously highlighted the financial burden associated with conducting two rounds of presidential elections. In addition to advocating for preferential voting, President Dr Muizzu has proposed synchronising presidential and parliamentary elections as a measure to optimise resources and improve governance efficiency.