A number of disturbances flared up at polling venues around Lae Urban on Monday due to electoral roll issues.
Frustrated Returning Officer, Kusak Meluk, said a large number of citizens could not vote because their names were not on the electoral roll.
Citizens who wished to vote stood in long lines for hours, just to find out that their names were not on the electoral roll. In frustration, they lashed out at polling officials.
A number of venues had to be closed early because of this, with Meluk saying the electoral roll issue has never been rectified.
“We’re going through the same problem,” he stated. “Something has to be done to rectify this electoral roll issue.
“Mipla ting the electoral roll was updated but it was a slap on the face. Many voters who turned up did not vote; it was not good.
“It’s a pity that we had to deny a lot of citizens, but we had no choice.
“Ol i kros but mipla tok, em, you can’t. Yu gat wanem kain hevi, yu askim Electoral Commission because they’re the ones running it. We’re public servants taken out of our responsibilities to come and run this.
“The Electoral Commission failed us with the updating of the electoral roll.”
Lae Urban was not the only LLG to raise concerns regarding the electoral roll. Polling officials at Nawaeb Urban were forced to deal with frustrated voters as well.
Sismai Tilim, the presiding officer of team 340, based at the Second-Seven field, shared similar sentiments.
“Bikpla issue mipla feisim em planti ol eligible voters i nogat neim lo displa electoral roll.
“First priority was given to those who had names in there. Bihainim polisi blong ileksen, eligible voters who have names in the electoral roll should vote. Without a name, they cannot vote.”
The one-day polling of Lae, Nawaeb Urban and Wampar Urban has been completed. Lae expects to start counting on Thursday.