2017 National Elections

Download a copy of the NCD polling schedule here: https://goo.gl/pNNpJc

The EC says: “Polling booths are organised based on voters’ LAST name.

“If there are multiple polling booths at your polling place, you will need to find your polling booth.

​Lupari clarifies his role in steering committee

http://www.looppng.com/elections/%E2%80%8Blupari-clarifies-his-role-steering-committee-61876

The Chief Secretary to Government, Isaac Lupari, has clarified his role as Chair of the Steering Committee.

90 state lawyers to supervise counting

“We will have a tight and security conscious election today,” says NCD metropolitan superintendent, Ben Turi.

“All the auxiliaries and reservists in the city will be out to stand in all polling booths.

“We will be recalling all these auxiliaries and reservists except those under NCDC.”

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Sibron Papoto says over 1000 security personnel will be on ground, while 743 police officers will be involved in providing security to polling officials with election materials.  

Police personnel in Hela and Simbu were scheduled to make their way yesterday to Mendi, following the completion of polling in most of these areas. 

A total of 90 lawyers will be stationed across all counting venues to supervise counting and at the same time undertake on providing legal advice to electoral officers when the need arises.

Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Lawrence Kalinoe, announced this following a request made by the Electoral Commission.

He said lawyers will be deployed to the provinces two days before counting commences. The timing will also be subject to the financial support of the Electoral Commission.

Returning officer Daniel Wasinak confirmed no polling for the station after ballot papers, totalling between 1,500 and 2000, were burnt by angry students yesterday.

He said from what he received, the students were upset on the shortage of ballot papers for the polling station.

But Wasinak said there was no shortage.

“There are other polling stations in the ward and the ballot papers were distributed accordingly through the wards. There was no shortage.”

“The Steering Committee on National Elections was not created overnight,” he says.

“It was set up and utilised by past governments to provide advice to the Electoral Commission on the smooth running of the elections.

“The Committee liaises with the Electoral Commission and brings to the attention of the government issues they face so these can be dealt with in an expedited manner.

“These are mainly funding and administrative issues.”

Lupari says as Chief Secretary, he chairs the Steering Committee.

Chuave Returning Officer, Peter Are, confirmed this with Loop PNG.

He said they are now awaiting the extraction of ballot papers to Kundiawa.

Are said polling was conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner.

He said even though they started a day late, they have finished on time.

He added that the Simbu Provincial Election Steering Committee had come up with strict security measures and nothing will be illegally conducted in regards to ballot papers.

He said this afternoon that the main issue that deferred polling on Tuesday will be sorted out.

On Tuesday, polling officials in Moresby North-West, as well as parts of Moresby South, refused to conduct polling after their allowances were not paid on time.

This forced Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, to defer polling for all three NCD electorates.

Jimmy told the media that allowances will be paid, which he has asked to be done in cash to ensure polling takes place.

A source on the ground says student voters destroyed the polling booth because ballot papers did not match the number of eligible voters – an estimated 4 thousand plus voters against just more than 1100 ballot papers.

Lae’s metropolitan superintendent, Anthony Wagambie Junior, said police responded to the ballot paper burning episode, where three prime suspects have been identified.

Two of the suspects were caught boarding a 25-seater bus parked outside the campus with a large group of people after the ballot papers were burnt.