2022 National General Elections

This has been confirmed by Chimbu Provincial Election Manager, Tom Sine Kaupa.

The deferral was made to allow ample time for preparations to be completed so that polling is conducted smoothly within the gazetted period. 

Polling for Jiwaka will be conducted today 15th July.

Kaupa added that all the ballot papers for Chimbu will be stamped and signed.
He said this is to avoid illegal practice on the ballot papers.
 
All polling in the country will be completed on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

PPC Yangen said he did not receive any major incident and people have demonstrated that they wanted a peaceful, free, fair, safe and corruption-free election.
 
He said the candidates, supporters, and the public cooperated and behaved well during polling. PPC Yangen is expecting the same for counting leading up to declarations.
 
He was impressed when the people cooperated with electoral officials and security personnel to ensure the boxes were brought safely into Mendi Town for storage.
 

KOKOPO OPEN ELECTORATE

1. Ereman Tobaining Jnr (PNC) – 2242
2. Koment Malari (PFP) – 1905
3. Emil Tammur (PANGU) – 1460
4. Steven Magil (PAP) – 1071
5. Ekonia Walom (NA) – 1017

POMIO OPEN ELECTORATE

1. Benedict Tati (NA) – 3523
2. Elias Kapavore (PNC) – 3388
3. Paul Tiensten (INDEPENDENT) – 2621
4. William Koiatuna (Liberal) – 336
5. Peter Kaiopuna (New Generation) – 225

GAZELLE OPEN ELECTORATE

The counting was deferred earlier due to administrative matters that were being sorted for counting, this included the debriefing of counting officials.

The scrutineers present were in agreement to have these matters resolved and addressed to ensure no further disruptions concerning counting.

The election officials have confirmed that once counting commences, it will continue over the weekend starting from 8:00am and ending at 5:00 pm daily.

Of the total, eight are women and six are school children.
 
Daulo Returning Officer, John Kopi said the ballot boxes were from the Polling Team 40 covering the Watabum LLG area.
They (suspects) marked all the ballot papers but without the signature of the Presiding Officer or Assistant Returning Officer.
 
Mr Kopi added that these are the remaining ballot boxes from Daulo that is expected to be brought to the counting venue. Unfortunately, they hijacked the two ballot boxes.
 
Meantime, Kopi said counting will commence tomorrow as planned.

The wards covered this morning were:

• Raluan No.1
• Raluan No.2
• Tavana
• Valaur
• Tavui No.3 (Clifton resettlement)

There have been changes in counting with quality checks being conducted again from Count 1 to 6. The slight changes has affected the progressive total. After the checks, the numbers will be confirmed.

Meanwhile, in the other Open seats in East New Britain Province, as of 11.35am today, the progressive total are as follows:

East New Britain Regional

Michael Marum - 2300

Today at the Gagidu Primary School, Joses said the Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai, gave the order that her initial decision to only use the 2022 roll still stands.

“Ward 4 (Finschhafen Urban) won’t be an exception in this election,” she stated.

“I understand your concerns,” she told those present.

“Rol em i no gutpla. Mi wokmeri lo ileksen na mi tokim yupla. Na olsem aste mi tok, responsibility blo gutpla blo rol, em yumi olgeta gat asua.”

This issue was raised with the PNG Electoral Commission in Port Moresby to use the 2017 electoral roll as a supplementary list to conduct polling.

 “We received the approval after the Kerema Urban LLG Polling was disrupted last week as many missed out during polling,” Gulf Election Manager and Provincial Returning Officer, Poevare Tore said. 

He said polling teams for the other nine LLGs were also issued the supplementary list from 2017, before they left to conduct the exercise.

Rai Coast Returning Officer, Peter Onmangen said five polling teams that were supposed to travel to Nayudo LLG to carry out polling last week are still at Saidor station waiting for the chopper. 

He said they are now running out of time and is unsure what he will do with the teams.

Jiwaka Provincial Election Manager, Rossie Pandihau confirmed the deferral with this newsroom today.

She clarified that the deferral was done as security personnel engaged for the province are still in Enga and Southern Highlands attending to election-related violence.

However, Ms Pandihau said polling officials for remote parts of Jiwaka have been deployed with sensitive election materials.

It will be a one day polling for both provinces. Meantime, Chimbu Province also goes to polls tomorrow.