Finschhafen Urban and Kotte Rural commenced polling this morning.
Ward 1 at Butaweng started off first after Finschhafen Urban Assistant Returning Officer officially declared it open.
ARO Essau Lilibur said polling for the LLG will run for four days.
Since the polling venue was at the Braun Memorial Hospital, Lilibur had to explain to those who turned up that only members of the community will vote; patients will have to go to their respective wards.
“Yupla kominiti insait lo hia yupla gat neim lo rol, yupla ken kam na vout,” he stated.
“Sikman, em laik blo em. Em laik vout, askim em, em ken go lo ples. Nogat, larim, em noken vout tu, em sik so, em laik blo em yet.
“Ol ballot pepa ol i kam bihainim wod. Rol buk em i bihainim wod.
“Mi nonap kisim blo Kotte kam vout lo hia. Mi nonap kisim blo Hube kam vout lo hia.
“Yu bai go bek ken na vout lo wod blo yu, eria blo yu.”
Finschhafen Urban has six wards; Butaweng, Logaweng, Gagidu 1, 2 and 3, and Dregerhafen.
1,501 voters have been registered for the LLG, with Logaweng having only 17 registered voters.
Kotte Rural has 10 wards; Keregia, Merikeo, Bolingboneng, Yunzaing, Wareo, Fior, Moruruo, Jivewaneng, Siki and Heldsbach.
The LLG has 6,861 registered voters.
Finschhafen Returning Officer, Fredah Joses, said due to dispatch delays in terms of transportation/logistical issues, polling has been deferred for Yabim-Mape and Hube Rural respectively:
- Yabim-Mape to begin polling on Wednesday, July 13th
- Hube to begin polling on Thursday, July 14th
For Burum-Kuat, an update will be given as soon as Joses gets in touch with the ARO.
(The first voter from Butaweng was Rhode Ben, who works with Braun Memorial Hospital’s administration team)