Polling schedule to be released end of April

The complete polling schedule for the 2017 National Elections will be released at the end of April.

PNG Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said they’re yet to finalise the polling schedule which he will sign off and have it gazetted and released.

The polling schedule will include the place and dates of voting at the different venues in the electorates across the country so people know exactly where to go and vote.

Issue of Writs today indicated the start of nominations and eight weeks campaign period.

Candidates can pay a nomination fee of K1,000 into the electoral commission trust account.

Gamato said they must produce the deposit slip of the payment as evidence so that the returning officer can receive their nominations.

The intending candidates have completed a candidate bio data form which gives an indication of the total number of candidates contesting this election.

It also projects how many candidates will be in one electorate so that the PNGEC can prepare the candidate posters.

“We cannot allocate the boxes until nominations are closed.

“After the nominations are closed on April 27, the returning officer of both the provincial and open seat will do a draw and will pick candidates to allocate a number to each one.

“Once the numbers are allocated they will then give us that information and the photographs of the candidates for us to print the posters,” Gamato said.

Gamato said that the printing of posters will be done in the country and they’ve identified various print companies that will start printing once nomination closes.

Author: 
Quintina Naime