THE FORMING OF THE 71 CONSTITUENCIES

The Fiji Islands are divided up into 71 constituencies, each of which elects one member of the House of Representatives.

Of these, 46 are communal seat constituencies in which a voter votes only for candidates from his/her own ethnic community. The other 25 constituencies are open seats, in which the voter votes for candidates from any ethnic community. So a voter has two ballot papers in which to cast two votes - one to choose his or her communal seat representative and one to choose his/her open seat representative.

How the constituencies are divided

There are 6 urban Fijian communal constituencies of which each have about the same number of voters. Another 11 Fijian constituecies follow the provincial boundaries, while the provinces of Ba, Tailevu and Cakaudrove are divided into 2 constituencies each.

Both the Indian and General Voter communal constituencies have been drawn up so that each has roughly an equal number of votes from that particular community.

The Rotuman communal constituency covers the whole of Fiji.

The 25 open seat constituencies have been drawn up in such a way that each has roughly the same number of voters, and each has a good proportion of people from the different ethnic communities.

Constituency List:

01 Bua Fijian Provincial Communal
02 Kadavu Fiji Provincial Communal
03 Lau Fiji Provincial Communal
04 Lomaiviti Fiji Provincial Communal
05 Macuata Fiji Provincial Communal
06 Nadroga/Navosa Fiji Provincial Communal
07 Naitasiri Fiji Provincial Communal
08 Namosi Fiji Provincial Communal
09 Ra Fiji Provincial Communal
10 Rewa Fiji Provincial Communal
11 Serua Fiji Provincial Communal
12 Ba East Fiji Provincial Communal
13 Ba West Fiji Provincial Communal
14 Tailevu North Fiji Provincial Communal
15 Tailevu South Fiji Provincial Communal
16 Cakaudrove East Fiji Provincial Communal
17 Cakaudrove West Fiji Provincial Communal
18 North East Fiji Urban Communal
19 North West Fiji Urban Communal
20 South West Fiji Urban Communal
21 Suva City Fiji Urban Communal
22 Tamavua/Laucala Fiji Urban Communal
23 Nasinu Fiji Urban Communal

24 Suva City General Communal
25 North Eastern General Communal
26 Western/Central General Communal

27 Vitilevu East/Maritime Indian Communal
28 Tavua Indian Communal
29 Ba East Indian Communal
30 Ba West Indian Communal
31 Lautoka Rural Indian Communal
32 Lautoka City Indian Communal
33 Vuda Indian Communal
34 Nadi Urban Indian Communal
35 Nadi Rural Indian Communal
36 Nadroga Indian Communal
37 Vitilevu South/Kadavu Indian Communal
38 Suva City Indian Communal
39 Vanua Levu West Indian Communal
40 Laucala Indian Communal
41 Nasinu Indian Communal
42 Tailevu/Rewa Indian Communal
43 Labasa Indian Communal
44 Labasa Rural Indian Communal
45 Macuata East/Cakaudrove Indian Communal

46 Rotuma Communal

47 Tailevu North/Ovalau Open
48 Tailevu South/Lomaiviti Open
49 Nausori/Naitasiri Open
50 Nasinu/Rewa Open
51 Cunningham Open
52 Laucala Open
53 Samabula/Tamavua Open
54 Suva City Open
55 Lami Open
56 Lomaivuna/Namosi/Kadavu
57 Ra Open
58 Tavua Open
59 Ba Open
60 Magodro Open
61 Lautoka City Open
62 Vuda Open
63 Nadi Open
64 Yasawa/Nawaka Open
65 Nadroga Open
66 Serua/Navosa Open
67 Bua/Macuata West Open
68 Labasa Open
69 Macuata East Open
70 Cakaudrove West Open
71 Lau/Taveuni/Rotuma Open