Big Number of Election Candidates Face Hefty Fines

By Ednal Palmer

A large number of candidates contesting this year’s Joint Elections could face hefty fines after Monday next week.

This is for failing to submit campaign expense reports in compliance with the Electoral Act and Provincial Assemblies and Honiara City Council Electoral regulations 2024.

From recent updates, less than half of candidates who contested the National Parliamentary, Provincial and Honiara City Council seats submitted their campaign expense reports.

A total of 334 candidates contested the 2024 National Parliamentary seats, 816 contested the provincial seats and 89 for the Honiara City Council.

That poor response persisted despite various strong calls and advices from the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission since results were announced.

Disclosure of election campaign-related expenses is a legal requirement for candidates contesting the Parliament, Provincial Assembly and Honiara City Council elections.

Section 69 of the Electoral Act 2018 and Regulations 52 & 53 of the Provincial Assemblies and Honiara City Council Election Regulation 2024 require all candidates contesting in the Parliamentary, Provincial Assembly and Honiara City Council elections, to submit their election campaign-related expenses within 90 days from the date after the results were published in the gazette.

The 90 days will lapse on July 29^th 2024, Monday next week.

All candidates (including winning and losing), who contested the Joint Election were expected to submit their accounts of election campaign expenses including funding sources and amounts received.

It is clear from the election offences that failure to comply with that legal requirement is an offence which carries a maximum penalty of $20,000 fine or two years imprisonment, or both.

An additional fine of $100 will be charged each day starting on Tuesday next week for candidates who fail to submit their campaign expenses reports.

The Electoral Office pointed out that campaign expense accounts are to be submitted on a prescribed approved form that can be collected from the Solomon Islands Electoral Office either in hard or soft copy or can also be downloaded online from Electoral Commission Official Website, www.siec.gov.sb before Monday next week.

Candidates contesting Parliamentary Seats