By HARLYNE JOKU
THE polling date for the Moresby North West by-election has been deferred to May 15 in respect of the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare’s two-week mourning period and the rise in COVID-19 cases, the acting Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has announced.
Polling was initially planned on the By-Election Calendar for Saturday the 3rd of April, 2021 and ends on the 17th of April, 2021 with the Return of Writ on Thursday 29th of April, 2020 but the polling date has been extended to 15th May giving the candidates eight weeks to campaign.
Mr Sinai has also deferred the date of the Order of Draw to Thursday 18th of March. The Order of the Draw allocates box numbers to intending candidates to campaign and vote by.
After nominations, when the intending candidates take part in the Order of Draw the campaign period begins.
Mr Sinai said the Electoral Commission has deferred the Order of the Draw to avoid loud aggressive campaigns during the mourning period of the late Grand Chief.
The Acting Commissioner said the passing of Grand chief Sir Michael Somare and the nationwide mourning period compounded between the 1st of March and the 12th of March with the surge of COVID-19 cases in the city and direction issued by the Controller to take precautionary measures has warranted the extension.
“I wish to apologize to the contestants and the people of Port Moresby North-West for the extension. This has become a special election giving candidates enough time to campaign and the Electoral Commission to organize itself,” Mr Sinai said.
Mr Sinai added the 2017 Common Roll will be used in the by-election with 90,000 eligible voters.
“Those whose names are not on the 2017 common roll will not be able to vote,” he said.
Nominations closed on Thursday the 4th of March with a total of 42 candidates, 41 men and a woman contesting the Port Moresby North-West by-election.
