Rabaul Open

He said it was a do-or-die contest for the final exclusion as counting for the seat concluded with Rumet coming out victorious, unseating Sitting MP and Melanesian Liberal Party leader, Dr Allan Marat.

After the 7^th and final exclusion, Rumet scored 5,192- a three point’s difference from Dr Allan Marat’s 5,189, to win the seat.

Third time Rabaul Open seat contender and United Labour Party candidate, Raymond Paulias bowed out of the contest in the 6^th Exclusion with 3,447 votes that was distributed to the two remaining contenders - Marat and Rumet.

Candidate Wayne Coleman who polled 1,515 after the 5^th Exclusion registered the least number of votes, therefore is being eliminated from the contest for the Rabaul Open Seat.

The Total Number of Formal Votes - 13124 and Informal Votes - 651. After the Primary Counts, no candidates has reached the Absolute Majority - 50%+1 (6562+1)

Therefore, Team Rabaul Open electorate will proceed into Quality Checks and commence Elimination until the Absolute Majority is reached and Declaration.

The Result after Counts #: 19 and 20 are as follows;

10. Francis Tavatun                                         04 + 05 = 09

11. Wayne Coleman Tamsak                           94 + 60 = 154

Counting covered Vunabuk, Rakival and Vunakabai wards of Watom LLG with the progressive total from the last box will be transferred to 66b for exclusion.

The progressive results for the first five candidates are:

1. Dr Allan Marat                                 4,317
2. Graham Piniau Rument                 2,669
3. Raymond Paulias                            2,344
4. Wayne Coleman Tamsak              1,281
5. Taupa Puipui                                     999

Counting started at 8.30 this morning. The first ballot box, box 19, was from Watom LLG. Box 19 was polled by Team 133 at Vunaulaiar, Rau, Taranata and Valaur.

The progressive results for the first five are as follows:

Recent results for the first five after Count 10 are as follows:

1. Dr. Allan Marat – 2783
2. Raymond Paulias – 1618
3. Graham Piniau Rumet – 1460
4. Wayne Coleman Tamsak – 827
5. Taupa Puipui - 719

Twenty (20) boxes brought in for counting covered the following areas, Balanataman- 9 boxes, Kombiu- 6 boxes, Rabaul Urban- 3 and Watom- 2 boxes.

The first box for Box 10 covered Kombiu LLG by team 125- the polling areas were covered were, Nordup, Baai, Matalau and Rakunat resettlement.

He says it is expected that nine boxes will be counted today due to the slow pace experienced in the past few days.

From situation faced yesterday with four candidates requesting quality check, the RO believes there will be good understanding as counting progresses.

Yesterday, 14^th July, PRO Joap Voivoi advised that a full quality check was conducted on all 6 ballot boxes for all the nine candidates from 11am to 6pm, leaving candidates and scrutineers satisfied with this process.

The final primary count was completed around 7pm last night. 

The progressive results after the final primary count are as follows;