Polling date for Bougainville elections moved to September 5

The Bougainville Electoral Commission has announced a new date for polling in the 2025 Bougainville elections.

Polling will now take place on Friday, 5th September, instead of the original 4th September date. This change was made to ensure all ballot papers are delivered on time to all parts of Bougainville.

The only exception is the Atolls constituency, where polling will still go ahead as planned on Thursday, 4th September.

Bougainville Electoral Commissioner Desmond Tsianai said the decision was important to ensure all eligible voters can take part in the election.

"Every eligible voter should have the chance to vote. We changed the date to make sure ballot papers are delivered properly and safely to all areas. This protects the rights of voters and keeps the election fair,” he said.

Ballot papers were printed in Port Moresby, but the printing was delayed, and there were also issues with serial numbers, which are used to prevent fraud. The final shipment of ballot papers only arrived in Buka on Tuesday, making it too late to prepare for polling on the 4th.

Commissioner Tsianai said OBEC [Office of the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner] had to act quickly to fix these problems and protect the election process.

He also reminded voters that there are no changes to polling places. Everyone will still vote in their usual ward.

“We know this change may cause some inconvenience, and we apologise. But it’s the right thing to do to make sure everyone can vote. We thank voters, candidates, and our election teams for their patience,” he said.

OBEC said it will continue to update the public through its official Facebook page and its new election website www.abgelections2025.com.