Counting in Western Higlands LLG elections starts

POLLING for the local level government elections in Western Highlands has been completed with counting proceeding on Tuesday at the Kimininga police barracks in Mt Hagen.
A total of 2,054 candidates, including two women, entered the race for 316 wards. Candidates in 11 wards were declared unopposed while three wards in the Hagen electorate.
Provincial election manager Philip Telape said this year’s LLG election had the highest number of candidates.
In 2013, 1,700 contested.
Telape said wards that had their ballot papers destroyed, were likely to miss out because he could not allow ballot papers for another ward to be used.
He said the provincial government and the Department of Provincial Affairs and Local Government would decide on those wards.
“But election was peaceful, only few booths were affected,” Telape said. He said counting was expected to be completed this week.