Election type

Section 64 the Constitution as rewritten in 2010 provides that “… a person resident outside of Tonga who is qualified to be an elector may vote at an election only if he is registered as an elector and present in Tonga for the election”. See Constitution Amendment Act (No 1) 2010, Act 14 of 2010

This relates to the roll of ‘the people’.  Tonga also has a second election tier and roll for the 33 ‘nobles’. The Electoral Act equally governs the election from the nobles (see Section 2). However it provides for no method of voting except in person voting.

Tonga has no provision for referendums.

Tonga has popularly elected District/Town Officers, but there is only provision for polling in person within one’s district.  See District and Town OfficersElection Regulations.

The franchise was expanded in 2010 (to remove taxpayer qualification) but in process the implicit old approach of not permitting voting from abroad was made explicit.