Election materials arrive in ENB

Election materials removed from the container. (Supplied image)

After months of waiting, following the deferral of polling in the country’s LLG elections this year, two containers of election materials have arrived in East New Britain province, in preparation for the polling and counting later this month.

On hand to receive the containers on Tuesday September 9, at the Tomaringa police barracks was the Provincial Election Manager Mr. Joap Voivoi and members of the ENB Provincial Election Advisory Committee [PEAC].

The election materials included voting compartments, ballot boxes, polling bags and kits, stationary boxes and canvases, that were distributed to the district election coordinators and their LLG Assistant Returning Officers (ARO).

Other essential documents like ballot papers, ward electoral rolls and the Presiding Officers Journals, are expected to be flown in on a chartered flight scheduled for the NGI region, between this week and next week.

Mr. Voivoi said that upon arrival, the ballot papers will be stored at the Kokopo Police station, ready for distribution to the 4 districts and their LLGs by next week.

“The districts will be responsible for storing those materials before polling begins in the province. For Pomio district, a container of election materials would be shipped over once the ballot papers arrive in the province,” he said.

As per a circular following the announcement on the deferral of polling dates, ENB Provincial Administrator and Chairman of the PEAC Mr. Levi Mano had said that polling in East New Britain province would begin on Monday the 29th of September, until the 3rd of October.

“Counting for the Ward Member seats, starts on the 30th of September while counting for the LLG President seats, ends on or before the 11th of October. Any amendments to the dates done by the PEAC would be made known to the general public, including the candidates,” he said.

Meanwhile national polling commences on Saturday the 27th of September and ends on the 10th of October, while counting begins the next day, with the return of writs set for October 17.