Polling for Goroka by-election to begin next week: Official

POLLING for the Goroka by-election will take place next Thursday, acting Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says.
Sinai urged voters in the three local level governments in Goroka to take note of the schedules approved by Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae.
He said the Government had released K3.8 million from an estimated cost of K6.1 million in expenses.
Sinai said the electoral commission was stable and focused on managing the electoral process in the country.
“This election will go into one-day polling and this will be on Sept 17 throughout the Goroka electorate covering the three LLGs,” he said.
“Voters must take note of this polling dates.
“Polling will be managed by 160 election polling teams covering the entire electorate that hold around 80,000 plus eligible voters on the electoral roll for the electorate,” he said.
Sinai issued instructions to his officials to take heed of Covid-19 rules and abide by the mandatory requirements of wearing face masks, observing social distancing, personal hygiene and keeping crowds to no more than 100 persons during voting.
He said the Goroka Open returning officer was also under instructions to consider separate entry points at each polling booth for women and girls to enter and cast their votes.
“This is to allow a sense of a secured environment from them (women) to participate fully in casting their votes without being intimidated by any interested party,” Sinai said.