The first level By – election Training for the Returning officer (RO), Assistant Returning officers (AROs) and Co-ordinators commenced on Wednesday, at the PNG Electoral Commission head office.
The training is basically to know about their roles and responsibilities as contracted election officials, understanding the polling and counting process and procedures of this by – election, and managing the administrative roles and responsibilities.
An officer from the NCD PHA official will also facilitate in the first level training to impart knowledge on the COVID-19 safety measures.
The first level Poll and Count Training was facilitated by Election Training Manager, Bale Kavanamur
The second level training for polling and counting officials will be conducted next week, from the 24th to 28th May 2021 at the respective wards.
A refresher training for counting will be conducted just before counting commences at the ward counting centers.
Acting Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai said voting will only be for one day - Wednesday 2nd June 2021.
There are 89,000 eligible voters set to participate in the by-election.
One hundred and thirty-six polling teams will conduct polling in the 5 wards of Moresby North West electorate.
Meanwhile, there will be two separate lines for voters to mark their ballot papers; one for male and one for females and Persons With DisAbilites.
The Acting Electoral Commissioner said that counting of first preference votes will be done at the respective wards while quality checks and eliminations will be done at the central counting venue.
Mr. Sinai said that these were the same counting processes and procedures PNGEC used in the counting of ballots for the recent Bougainville, Goroka and Menyamya by-elections.
Photo credit: PNGEC