Counting of by-election ballots starts today

 COUNTING of ballots for the Kairuku-Hiri by-election is expected to start today at the Institute of Public Administration Hall at Waigani, in Port Moresby, following training of candidates, scrutineers and counting officials on the electronic system at the weekend.

Counting was to have started yesterday but was deferred to today as training was still going on.

“We will not start today because there are some administrative matters to be sorted out,” returning officer Kila Egaba said yesterday. “We should start counting tomorrow.” 

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen said on Friday the last two polling teams for the Koiari local level government area completed their polling last Thursday.

He said all the ballot boxes for Hiri and Koiari LLGs were transported from the 15-Mile Police Station last Friday to the counting venue.

 Trawen said the commission’s ICT department started moving equipment for electronic counting on Friday to the counting venue.

Candidates and their scrutineers  were trained on electronic counting on Saturday.