This case study provides an outline of migration in the Republic of Maldives, an archipelago facing unique challenges due to its dispersed geography and vulnerability to climate change, with the concentration of its population in the densely populated capital, Malé.

Maldivian migrants—not only those overseas but also those working in the tourism sector and engaged in internal circular migration—confront several challenges in exercising their voting rights. The study highlights several prospects for overcoming the limited electoral enfranchisement of Maldivian absent voters and also recommends a comprehensive debate on solutions.

This paper is part of a series of eight case studies on absent voters in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.