At 3.15pm, Rabaul Returning Officer, Babel Umri announced the final tally for the Rabaul Open Seat, with Graham Piniau Rumet ousting four-term sitting MP, Dr Allan Marat by only 3 votes.
The formal declarations were made at 5pm at the counting venue at Malaguna Secondary School.
The final total after the 7th and final exclusion, Dr Marat received 5,189 votes while Graham Rumet tallied 5,192 votes.
This follows the distribution of 3447 Votes from the 7th Exclusion by United Labor Party Candidate #:15 Raymond Paulias to the Melanesian Liberal Party (MLP) Leader, Dr. Allan Marat and Pangu Candidate, Graham Piniau Rumet.
The Votes Distribution included the Exhausted Votes:
1. Can #:14 Dr. Allan Marat - 4857 + 332 = 5189
2. Can #:18 Graham Piniau Rumet - 3852 + 1340 = 5192
Exhausted Ballot Papers = 1775.
