Chimbu recount almost complete

AT least 89 per cent of the primary count of ballot papers in the court-ordered recount for the Chimbu provincial seat at the National Sports Institute facilities in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, is completed.
The recount started on February 24 and was into its 40th day of counting on Wednesday.
The National Court had given the PNG Electoral Commission 65 days to have the recount completed.
The recount started with four ballot boxes containing informal votes and 13 boxes containing exhausted ballot papers – all were completed.
Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said that the recount was now into the counting of the petitioner Noah Kool’s seven ballot boxes and first respondent Michael Dua’s seven ballot boxes.
“After count 502, primary count of the ballot papers was 89 per cent completed,” he said.
“PNGEC had to recount a total of 283,950 ballot papers for the Chimbu provincial seat.
“But as of (Tuesday) night, a total of 251,853 ballot papers had been counted, with only 32,097 ballot papers to count.”
Gamato confirmed there were only three more ballot boxes to be counted then – one ballot box for Kool and two boxes for Dua.