A Santo youth worker says indifference about politicians and lack of awareness about the electoral system are both to blame for voter apathy in Vanuatu.
Turo Borugu has been conducting a voting awareness campaign focusing on young voters in Lugainville where, at the 2008 election, only 3000 of the 8000 registered voters actually voted.
This time it's officially around 10 thousand registered to vote and Mr Borugu is trying to impress upon young voters the way that voting can empower them.
He says many people simply don't understand the power of voting.
"While this vital information lacks, it deteriorates the value of voting. While voters who have voted in the 32 years since independence, by observation they say 'we're just wasting our time'. So the indifference has more weight over the importance of voting because they knew very little about the importance of voting."
