SMS service aims to assist voters

National

THE Bougainville Referendum Commission is providing its SMS roll check service for people to make sure where they are enrolled and when polling will be near them.
From today, enrolled voters can send an SMS to the commission to confirm their name is on the roll and receive a text telling them where and when polling will be open near them.
The service will also be advertised by SMS blast to more than 35,000 Digicel subscribers from tomorrow.
Chief referendum officer Mauricio Claudio said polling would be available between one and five days in most locations, so people needed to check the polling schedule.
“We have 246 polling teams servicing 829 locations, so polling will not be open for the full two weeks in every location, and will not be starting on Nov 23 in most locations,” Claudio said.
“While polling will begin in large urban centres and remote locations on Nov 23 (Sat), most wards will have their polling teams visit them between Nov25 (Mon) to Nov 29 (Fri).”
People can also see their assistant returning officer or one of the 800 ward awareness officers now moving into the field with voter information.
To use the SMS service, people should text (+675) 7933 6628 or 7149 3920 with the following information:

  • First name and surname;
  • constituency and ward in which they reside or claim clan lineage to; and,
  • Date of birth, or at least year of birth.

If your name is on the roll, you will receive the text message: Polling in (voter’s ward) will be available at (polling location) for that (ward/location) on (date).
If you will be outside your constituency during the polling period, you can vote at one of BRC’s regional offices in Arawa, Buin or Buka or the Port Moresby PNG Electoral Commission.
If they are not found, the roll lookup staff will reply with the following text: “No record with those details was found. Please check the details you sent were correct.”
If you are not on the referendum roll, you cannot vote in the referendum. By law, the roll is now closed to new enrolments.