11 Dec 2015

Vanuatu reliant on donor help for 2016 snap poll

2:59 pm on 11 December 2015

Vanuatu's electoral commission says the country will need help from donor countries to conduct its snap election in January.

The country has a snap election scheduled for January the 22nd after the president, Baldwin Lonsdale, dissolved parliament following the jailing of 14 MPs for corruption last month.

Polling in Vanuatu elections.

Polling in Vanuatu elections. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades

The principal electoral officer, Charles Vatu, says the country has suffered financially from cyclone Pam and donor help would come in handy.

However, he says the office should be able to get enough money for the election to go ahead.

"We will need donor assistance, but we have budgeted enough funds and we have [been] given an indication from the government that additional funds will be swiftly released upon request if we need additional funds. But we are open to donors who are willing to assist in funding some of the election material."

Charles Vatu says there are currently about 200,000 people registered to vote.