WHP gears up for election

 By ELIAS LARI

WESTERN Highlands electoral officials are preparing for the local level government election in June.

Returning officers and their assistants have been appointed and submitted and are awaiting for the information to be gazetted.

Ballot boxes and other gear are the main concern at this stage, and officials are working on having them available on time.

Provincial election manager Philip Telape said he was making sure everything was in place as it was only two months before the issue of writs on June 6. The election is scheduled to end on Aug 30. 

Telape said one polling team was allocated to each LLG and that would take place throughout the province.

All polling booths will have one ballot box each for a ward council. Another ballot box will be given to each LLGs and that will be for the election of president.

Telape said the preferential vo­ting system would be used and people would have three choices to choose their candidates.

“That means that all LLGs will be having one ballot box for the president’s votes. This ballot box will be taken around in every polling place in one electorate and then will be taken to the district offices for counting.”

Telape said the results of the ward council would be made known the same day at each polling site while the result for the president would be known after counting at each district office.

He said writs would be issued on June 6 at 4pm and nominations would close on June 12 at 4pm.

 “We are working hard to meet and work along with the given dates because delays may cost us,” Telape said.

He said he was not sure if security personnel would be deployed at each polling booth as there was not enough money to fully engage them.

He said police would be on call.