Kiribati 2020 election (file image) Photo: L.Uan
A hundred and fourteen candidates are to contest the Kiribati elections, starting on 14 August.
A second round of voting for the 44-seat parliament, Maneaba ni Maungatabu, is scheduled for 19 August.
Four candidates, all sitting members have been returned, unopposed.
They are Alexander Teabo and Tinian Reiher in Butaritari, Tekeeua Tarati in Tamana and Booti Nauan in South Tabieuea.
By contrast, 22 candidates are contesting the three seats in Tarawa Teinainano.
Eight are standing for the three seats on Kiritimati, seven for the three seats on Betio and seven for the two seats on Fanning.
There are 18 women standing - a large increase on 2020 when just seven contested the poll.
The election of president does not happen until the MPs in the new parliament put forward a minimum of three nominations and those candidates then stand for public election, likely by October.
Correspondents in Kiribati say the incumbent, Taneti Maamau, who has held the post for the past eight years, is likely to again throw his hat in the ring for one last possible term, but he needs to first retain his seat in the Onotoa constituency.
The opposition leader, Tessie Lambourne, whose husband David, a Kiribati High Court judge, was deported by the government two months ago, will need to prevail in Abemama, before she could consider standing.
