Ballots voided after votes exceed Democrats’ membership numbers

The Democrats, which held its internal elections last weekend, have voided the results of some of ballot boxes, after the total votes were found to exceed total number of voters registered to some of the boxes.

Democrats’ PG leader Ali Azim said on Wednesday that results from some of the districts for the party’s young Democrats leader and deputy leader were being voided.

He said the voting in the districts in question will be conducted again.

Azim described it as an error in the organization of the elections.

“That is, because of things from our end in ballot boxes in some of the islands, ballot papers issued exceeded the number of youths,” he said.

“We have announced that voting will be re-held in the ballot boxes voided.”

Ballots were voided in:

• B. Goidhoo
• B. Kudarikilu
• GDh. Gadhdhoo
• HA. Hoarafushi
• HDh. Neykurendhoo
• R. Alifushi
• Sh. Maaungoodhoo
• Th. Kinbidhoo
• HDh. Nolhivaram
• N. Miladhoo
• B. Maalhos
• B. Dharavandhoo
• B. Fehendhoo
• N. Maafaru

Two candidates contested for the position of young Democrats leader - Mohamed Mashih and Yoosuf Shah, while two contested for the position of young Democrats deputy leader – Fithra Mohamed and Mohamed Azwar.

Azim said the party has yet to decide when the elections will be re-held.

On Saturday, West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef was elected as the Democrats’ leader with 1,807. His opponent, former STO MD Hussain Amr Rashad received 1,484 votes.

The preliminary results were released a day later, giving rise to allegations of election tampering.

The Democrats was officially registered as a political party in July. It is an offshoot of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), loyal to the party’s former leader and former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed.

The party had 3,280 members, as of August.