Addu Referendum: only 47 percent voter turnout

Elections Commission (EC) announced tonight that only 47 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the "<i>Fenna Nu’fenna</i>" (yes/no) referendum held today to determine whether separate councils should be established for the three Addu islands: Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo, and Meedhoo (including those residing in Malé).

The EC had announced that a total of 9,576 people were eligible to vote from the three islands. However, less than 50 percent of the registered voters turned out.

According to the provisional results:

The EC is scheduled to announce the final results of the referendum tomorrow.

In October 2010, during the presidency of Mohamed Nasheed, a vote was held to gauge public support for administratively linking the islands of Addu and establishing a City Council.

In that "<i>Fenna Nu’fenna</i>" vote, held 15 years ago on whether to form a City Council and bring the islands under its jurisdiction:

Feydhoo: 397 people voted "yes" (to form a City Council), and 494 voted "no." At the time, 3,571 people were registered as eligible to vote in Feydhoo.

Meedhoo: 77 people voted "yes" (to form a City Council), and 271 voted "no." The number of eligible voters in Meedhoo then was 1,880.

Hulhudhoo: 102 people voted "yes" (to form a City Council), and 93 voted "no" (against working under a City Council). The number of eligible voters in Hulhudhoo then was 2,566.