Candidates

The total number of candidates for Eastern Highlands Province stands at 392. Of these, there are 381 male candidates and 10 female.

The Chimbu Province has recorded 335 candidates, 328 male and 7 female. Jiwaka Province recorded 117 candidates; 114 male and 3 female candidates.

Meantime, PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says 2022 National General Election campaigns will end this week and all public rallies and campaigning will officially stop on Friday 1 July 2022 and voting will commence on Monday July 4th 2022.

He said individuals found guilty will be charged under the recently amended Firearms Act 2022 urging the public to “seriously question their character and integrity”.

“Those candidates who feel the need to carry firearms and move around, I can say that they have no place in the election.

 “We will not take this matter lightly. If it means they spend time in jail waiting for bail during this election period”, he added.  

All candidates and political parties are required to pay a one-off fee of K500 to the Lae City Authority to put up their posters, banners and billboards around Lae City boundaries.

LCA has so far received payments from some candidates, and is reminding others to do so at their earliest to avoid any inconvenience.

Fees are to be paid at the LCA cash office at the ground floor of Morobe Haus, which was formerly known as Vele Rumana.

Failure to do so will result in LCA removing the candidates’ posters, banners and billboards.

When discouraging negative campaigning tactics against other candidates, and especially the sitting Members of Parliament, Deputy ENB Provincial Administrator for District and LLG Services, Nicholas Larme, told candidates during last week’s voter awareness and candidate forums that they should promote themselves and fellow candidates.

He says the beauty of the LPV system is that, voters get three choices and instead of tarnishing other candidates’ characters, candidates should campaign together, to secure their primary or secondary choices.

It was also an opportunity to educate the people about the limited preferential voting system. The forums were organised by the ENB election steering committee, which is driving voter education in the province.
It is assisting the provincial electoral office under the leadership of provincial administrator, Wilson Matava.
The forums were held at the following venues:

Among these challenges is the fact that Pomio is the largest district that covers over 70 percent of the province.

Since taking office as the District Administrator for Pomio in 2007, Peter Peniat, who is originally from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, says Pomio is a difficult district.

Having served in the other districts of Rabaul and Kokopo, Peniat says Pomio has a lot of challenges, given its rugged terrains.

He says since 1975, the only development by 2007, was logging, which was then followed by oil palm development, years later.

He said after checking through the nomination lists submitted by Returning Officers and Election Managers throughout the country, PNG EC confirmed 3499 nominations received compared to 3340 nominations in 2017.

"As of the close of nominations last Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 4pm, we have received in total 3499 nominations, an increase of 159 from the last election. Of the total 142 are female candidates and rest are males. The female candidate numbers have dropped from 167 in 2017,” Mr Sinai.

Fifteen women are contesting seats in Central Province.

Election Manager Peter Malaifeope shared that this is more female candidates in this election, compared to previous elections.

Forty two candidates are contesting Rigo Open, three of whom are women. Kairuku Open with 34 candidates with the inclusion of seven female candidates. Hiri/Koiari has 35 candidates, one being female. Goilala Open has 38 candidates with the inclusion of one female candidate. Abau Open has 25 candidates, all men, and Central Provincial Seat registered 22 candidates, 3 are women.

Provincial Election Manager Sponsa Navi said the 14 women are locals from the six Madang districts.

Navi said of the 14, four are contesting the Madang Open seat, one for Usino Bundi Open, three for Rai Coast, one for Sumkar and three will be contesting the provincial seat. He said the only electorate that has no woman candidate is Bogia.

Mr Navi said after nominations had closed, two decided to withdraw, bringing the total to 315.

Although the Highlands region has the highest number of candidates, the Southern region has the highest number of candidates per seat, which perhaps reflects the fact that the Highlands has the most number of seats.

The Islands had the lowest average number of candidates per seat in all of PNG’s nine elections.

As the Islands is also the region with the lowest voter turnout, it is the region with the lowest political engagement, and this is still unclear why.