KABWUM BY-ELECTIONS INTO QUALITY CHECKS
Picture Caption: Kabwum By-Election counting at the Sir Ignatius Stadium in Lae. INSERT: Polling in Kabwum
By Martha LOUIS
THE Kabwum Open by-election is now in its concluding stages, with election officials planning to carry out final quality checks today at the St. Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae.
Morobe Provincial Election Manager Simon Soheke confirmed that the preliminary counting concluded yesterday. The final phase will focus on verifying the accuracy of results to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
“One ballot box is still in question and will be addressed by the Returning Officer,” Mr. Soheke stated. “We have scheduled quality checks today, and based on those, we will determine whether an absolute majority has been achieved.”
If a candidate secures the absolute majority, they will be declared the winner. If not, the elimination process will proceed in accordance with Papua New Guinea’s limited preferential voting system.
Mr. Soheke reminded the public to rely only on official sources for election results and urged caution against unverified information shared online.
“All verified results will be released through NBC,” he said. “Figures circulating on social media are not official until quality checks are completed.”
He added that results for the four amalgamated results will be formally handed over to NBC before being shared with other media.
The final declaration will depend on today’s verification process. If no clear winner emerges, the elimination rounds will begin immediately.
