Polling period

Loop PNG visited the polling booths and confirmed that polling was progressing. Polling also started at North Ambenob with less than five wards started polling.
 
Madang Election Manager, Sponsa Navi said other polling locations that did not start today will kick off polling tomorrow. 
 
Usino Bundi, Sumkar, Bogia and Madang Urban and other wards of Madang district go to the polls tomorrow. Navi said polling for Middle Ramu and Raicoast start on Thursday, July 7. 
 

Confusion arose around polling venues at Nawaeb Urban when the seal of the ballot box was broken to reveal Lae Open ballot papers.

Nawaeb Urban covers wards 11 to 17 in the Ahi LLG; areas from Malahang, Busu Compound, Limki Market, Speedway, Kamkumung and Igam and Bumayong.

The presiding officer of team 340, based at the Second-Seven field, Sismai Tilim, said they faced the ballot paper issue at 10am today.

The venues at Three and Four Mile, including the outside premises of the National Polytechnic Institute of PNG, had voters gathering there before sunrise.

Residents around that area said the noise woke them up from their sleep, and they were quite alarmed with the crowd buildup.

An argument soon started between the crowd and security guards at Polytech; the latter refused to let the public in for fear of damage to school properties.

A group of police vehicles soon turned up and controlled the crowd, clearing the driveway into the institute.

PPC Felix Nebanat welcomed 42 PNG Defence Force personnel at the Kavieng Airport on Friday, July 1^st.

The PPC voiced his confidence in the joint security forces.

“The arrival of the military is a manifestation of what I have been reiterating for the last couple of weeks about New Ireland having an equipped force for NATEL 2022,” he stated.

“It gives me peace of mind and great reassurance that the joint security force under my command is more than capable of running a safe, free, fair and transparent election.

According to the election official, the ballot papers were removed from the containers to be destroyed to give space to store the new ballot papers for this year. The ballot papers were removed and taken to Mero Dump where the papers were burnt and destroyed.

The security personnel, election officials and the public witnessed the destroying of the ballot papers.

Provincial Returning Officer, Joab Voivoi said when the campaign period concluded on Friday July 1, respective returning officers with assistant returning officers have been busy preparing their teams for the first day of polling tomorrow.

“Hopefully every polling team should finish polling on Friday July 8 according to their polling schedules,” he said.

ENB has 135 polling teams that have been trained and ready to be dispatched to the 526 polling venues. The province has a total of 18 LLGs and 380 wards.

He made this announcement at a press conference held on Friday July 1, at the Electoral headquarters in Port Moresby.

EC Sinai explained that the delays in the announcement of the dates of elections were due to administration issues and the movement of budget needed for the delivery of the elections. But that has been sorted and the EC is ready to flow.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police Northern Command Peter Guinness said a section of the Mobile Squad in Lae will also be deployed to Madang to boost security manpower in the province. He said soldiers and the MS will be deployed to various parts of the province.

Madang Province has six districts - Madang, Sumkar, Bogia, Middle Ramu, Rai Coast and Usino Bundi. According to the Electoral Commission’s polling schedule, voting will start in the province on Monday 4^th July.

ENB provincial returning officer Joab Voivoi said as of close of nominations on Thursday May 26), people must take ownership of the 2022 general elections.

“Candidates, supporters and the general voting population must respect each other and work together so we can witness and orderly and peaceful election in the province, which has been witnessed in past elections,” he said.

Mr Voivoi reported that nominations in the province in the past week were orderly and peaceful.

The eight weeks of campaigning ended as the clock struck 12am this morning, this included campaigning on social media.   

The 14 days of nationwide polling starts today and will end on 8 July.

One day polling will be held in the urban centres of NCD, Kokopo, Lae, Madang and all of the Highlands provinces.

The dates are as follows:

• National Capital District and Kokopo Town - Tuesday 27 June
• Lae Urban – Thursday 29 June
• Madang Urban 3 July

Provinces in the Highlands Region: