By-election polling to start

ACTING Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has urged voters, candidates and supporters in the Moresby Northwest electorate to abide by the election laws and support the by-election to be free, fair and safe for all.
Sinai said the commission was ready for polling tomorrow and that there would be 136 polling places for voters.
He said 89,000 ballot papers were printed for the by-election.
Sinai said the ballot papers were sorted in gender according to their numbers on the electoral roll.
“This is because the polling booth will have separate entrances for male and female,” he said.
He said ballot papers were also colour-coded by the five wards for ease of counting and identification during the elimination counts.
Ward one ballot papers are pink, Ward seven are green, ward eigh are blue, ward 10 are yellow and ward 11 are red.
Sinai said there would be two separate queues for males and females, and persons with disabilities at polling sites.
“A Covid-19 warden will be stationed at the entrance of the polling booth to make sure voters observe all the Covid-19 protocols,” he said.
Voters will be required to wear face masks, get their temperature read and sanitise their hands and practice social distancing.
Voters are also advised to bring their own pen during polling to minimise the spread of the virus.
Sinai said, by law, counting had to be within 21 days.
He said 190 counting officials are set for the primary and eliminations process.
He said for primary counts, the number of counting officials would be: ward one – 30; ward seven – 30; ward eight – 30; ward 10 – 30; and, ward 11 – 30.
Sinai said the elimination counts would have 40 counting officials for each ward.
He said counting of first preferences votes would be done at the wards.
The venues where the first preferences votes will be counted are: ward one – Metoreia United Church Hall, Hanuabada; ward seven – Ben Moide Club, Murray Barracks; ward eigh – Sir John Guise Stadium; ward 11 – Sir John Guise Stadium; and, ward 10 – Pacific Institute of Leadership and Governance, Waigani.
He said the elimination count (second and third preferences) would be at Sir John Guise Stadium.