2014 Solomon Islands general election

The elections were assisted by the United Nations Development Programme, who wanted to help with "the development of a sustainable, cost effective and inclusive voter registration system to ensure the integrity of the vote."[2][3] Previous elections in 2006 were followed by racial rioting, particularly targeting Chinese immigrants.[4]

The 50 members of the National Parliament were elected in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system.[5]

Voters had to be at least 18 years old and hold Solomon Islands citizenship. Overseas residents could not vote, and people were disqualified for voting if they had committed a breach of the electoral law, been declared insane, were imprisoned for more than six months, or were under a death sentence.[5]

Candidates had to be at least 21 years old and resident in the constituency in which they ran. Disqualifications included holding dual citizenship, being executives or members of the Electoral Commission, having an undischarged bankruptcy, being imprisoned for more than six months, or being under a death sentence.[5]

A total of 443 candidates were nominated to contest the elections, a reduction on the 509 that ran in 2010.[6]

In March 2014 a biometric voter registration system was introduced. Transparency Solomon Islands claimed that it had received anecdotal evidence of some candidates purchasing numerous ID cards.[7] However, in May the Electoral Commission stated that it had not received any formal complaints.[8]

Following the elections, an election official attempted to steal a ballot box as it was taken for counting near Auki. After police started chasing the official, he dropped the box and disappeared into the jungle.[9] The head of the Commonwealth election observers group commended the Solomon Islands for a peaceful election process.[10]

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo lost his seat in the Gizo-Kolombangara constituency, losing to his nephew Jimson Tanangada of the United Democratic Party.[11]

As nearly two-thirds of the MPs returned are independent and the incumbent Prime Minister lost his seat, negotiations began to form a coalition government and select a new Prime Minister.[10]

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	United Democratic Party	27,550	10.72	5	New
	Democratic Alliance Party	19,992	7.78	7	–5
	Kadere Party of Solomon Islands	11,999	4.67	1	New
	People First Party	11,601	4.51	1	New
	People's Alliance Party	11,414	4.44	3	+3
	Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement	10,022	3.90	1	–3
	National Transformation Party	7,336	2.85	0	New
	Pan-Melanesian Congress Party	5,421	2.11	0	New
	Youth Owned Rural and Urban Party	3,666	1.43	0	New
	Direct Development Party	1,961	0.76	0	–3
	New Nation Party	795	0.31	0	0
	Peoples Progressive Party	616	0.24	0	New
	Independents	144,599	56.27	32	+12
Total		256,972	100.00	50	0
Valid votes		256,972	99.37
Invalid/blank votes		1,627	0.63
Total votes		258,599	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		287,565	89.93
Source: Election Passport, IPU