Voters miss out in polls

 By DOROTHY MARK

POLLING in Madang Urban ended last Friday with many people missing the chance to vote.

A woman from the Wagol Sodas settlement, who had queued at the Bukbuk polling booth in ward 9, dashed home when relatives told her that her two-year-old son had drowned in a well.

She rushed her son to the Modilon General Hospital only to be told he had died.

In another incident, a 23-year-old woman from the Bukbuk area who allegedly voted three times was struck on the head with a tree branch when trying to vote for the fourth time.

At the same polling booth, another woman had her left wrist slashed by her husband after she had voted. 

The man ran off before two policemen were sent to arrest him.

Polling booths as Sisiak, Humade, Bukbuk, Jomba store and clinic, Biliau Maus Rot settlement and James Barnes had voters in long lines until 6pm when polling closed.

Fights broke out when people wanted to double vote or others tried using someone else’s name.

Officials had to halt polling until the situation calmed.

In a polling booth at Jomba Store, some voters who tried to vote twice were stopped and a fight started. Police had to intervene.

A lot of people who tried to double vote were turned away while police arrested a few.

Provincial returning officer Philip Ann said all polling reports would be finalised tomorrow and a briefing would be held to decide the counting date.

He said polling for Ambenob and Transgogol would continue while Madang Urban votes would be counted.