Issues mount for Huon Gulf as count continues

By PISAI GUMAR
HUON Gulf (Morobe) returning officer Brian Mogu was inundated with queries yesterday as scrutineers of candidates insisted on balancing ballot papers.
Even more pressing on Mogu was the fact that presiding officers’ signatures were not
on a lot of them as quality checks started.
Gerry said the issue over unsigned ballot papers by presiding officers was neglect of polling duties and a genuine concern.
He said when the legality of those unsigned ballot papers arose, officers would be grilled and a lot of people would
continue to have doubts about a fair election.
Scrutineers insisted on balancing informal and ballot papers.
A handful of polling officials protested over unpaid allowances and that added to delays.
After count 99 of 32 ballot boxes (excluding three from Bubia and 5- Mile), the total formal ballot papers were 36,880 and informal  one were 957 totaling 37,837.
Mogu said that the figure may differ due to some voters mistakenly slotting yellow ballot papers for the Huon Gulf open seat and vice-versa with blue regional ballot papers.
Scrutineer’s spokesperson Paul Gerry was curious over how best the figures could be balanced considering the returns.
Concerns raised were unsigned ballot papers by presiding officers during polling, legality of unused ballot papers for two polling venues at 5-Mile where voters refused to vote, voters mistakenly slotting ballot papers for the district into regional box and vice-versa, presiding officials announcing estimated ballot papers exhausted instead of the actual number used.
The quality check for 35 candidates started late after completing count 99 of the 32 ballot boxes that ended 10pm Wednesday.
After count 99, incumbent MP Ross Seymour polled 11,044 followed by Jason Peter 6331, Tukape Masani 3199, Ivan Timo 2578 and Sasa Zibe 2114 from the 35 candidates contesting.