Local level government elections date confirmed

The National National

THE local level government elections will now be held over four weeks – June 27 to July 26 – after the Supreme Court gave the green light for it to proceed, says Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato.
The dates are:

  • June 27: nominations open;
  • July 4: nominations close;
  • July 20: voting and counting start;
  • July 25: voting and counting end; and,
  • July 26: return of writs

“Under the new revised programme the Electoral Commission will have to work under a very tight timeline to deliver the LLG elections,” Gamato said.
Gamato said the Supreme Court which had earlier stayed the start of the elections had now ruled that it could go ahead.
The new revised dates were approved by the Inter-Government Relations Minister Richard Maru.
“The nomination period is seven days, campaign period is 14 days and polling and counting is six days,” he said.
He said the Commission had 21 days to conduct the local level government elections.
“This is because the date for the return of writs as stated on the writs issued on the April 25 remains as July 26.”
Gamato said the returning officers had already been appointed and were ready to start.
The exercise is to elect councilors in 6,385 wards, in the 331 LLGs of the 89 electorates.
The National Capital District and Bougainville are not taking part.
He said candidates who had already paid their nomination fees through bank deposits should produce the deposit slip butts to the returning officers when filing their nominations.
“I want to reiterate that the nomination fee is still K200 and the LLG elections are for wards councilors only.
“(There is) no LLG presidents elections.”
The Government has approved an additional K20 million for the LLG elections.