SITUATION REPORT ON POLLING AND COUNTING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

ELECTION 2012 MEDIA BRIEFING SITUATION REPORT ON POLLING AND COUNTING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY Thank you once again media for coming. The polling phase of the 2012 National General Elections is coming to a close on Friday July 6 as PNG goes to the next phase of the elections which is counting. Provinces that will poll beyond the July 6 deadline and will need extension of polling include: Western Province for South Fly due to flooding Samarai-Murua Open electorate in Milne Bay Bougainville Atolls Gulf Chimbu, and Eastern Highlands All the New Guinea Islands provinces have completed their polling activities and preparing for counting. I will make an announcement on the extension period in the media briefing on Friday. Regional Progressive Reports are as follows Momase Morobe 3 electorates – Lae, Huon Gulf and Nawae – out of the 10 electorates have completed polling and are awaiting the return of the last ballot boxes for the verification process of election returns begin. The count is expected to commence for these 3 electorates tomorrow Thursday July 5 or Friday July 6. Madang Polling in most areas in Madang is expected to be finished by tomorrow Thursday July 5. Bogia Open and Rai Coast Open electorates may have a few teams finishing on Friday July 6. Counting for Madang is expected to commence on Sunday July.  ESP 221 out of the 222 polling teams have completed polling and the remaining one (1) polling team is expected to complete polling today Wednesday July 4. Counting venues for East Sepik are being re-organized after the PNGDF withdrawn the use of Moem Barracks following allegations made against the PNGDF. Briefings for counting officials were done today and counting is expected to commence tomorrow Thursday July 5 if the new counting venues are ready for use. WSP A second helicopter is now working in the Telefomin area and polling teams are expected to complete polling by Friday day July 5. The situation has improved in Telefomin and Oksapmin with polling expected to be completed by 6 July except Yapsie which may poll beyond July 6. Polling was expected to have been completed in 2 electorates yesterday – Aitape-Lumi and Nuku.  Vanimo/Green River is yet to confirm the expected date for completion of polling. Counting for West Sepik is expected to commence on Saturday July 7. Southern Western Fixed-wing aircraft will be arranged in the coming days to airlift all boxes from Middle Fly and South Fly Open electorates respectively for the Provincial Seat to Kiunga for counting to commence next week. A fixed-wing aircraft will also be arranged to airlift officers to their respective counting venues this weekend. All polling in the province should complete by Friday July 6. Gulf Polling activities are continuing in areas of Kerema Open electorate. There are still many teams and ballot boxes to be collected and returned. All polling activities will be completed by Friday July 6. Only 2 polling teams will possibly conducting polling beyond July 6 affecting 4 villages. Counting is still expected to commence on Monday 9 July. NCD Counting for NCD is yet to be confirmed. Central All polling activities have been completed following the extraction of the last 3 polling teams and venues for counting are now being established. The Provincial Election Steering Committee has decided that counting will commence on Monday July 9. Northern Polling is proceeding well and all polling teams and materials are expected to return to Popondetta by Friday July 6. Briefing for all counting officials will take place on Saturday July 7 and counting will commence on Sunday July 8. Milne Bay Polling for all other areas in the province should be completed by Friday July 6 except for Samarai-Murua Open electorate which will be delayed awaiting the arrival of the naval patrol boat schedule to arrive in Alotau today Wednesday July 4. Counting is expected to commence on Monday July 9 or Tuesday July 10 for all other areas excluding the Samarai-Murua. NGI West New Britain All polling activities in West New Britain have been completed. The final polling team is expected to return today Wednesday July 4. Counting is expected to commence on Friday July 6 or over the weekend depending on when count training is conducted. East New Britain All polling activities in East New Britain have also been completed and counting will begin on Monday July 9. Manus Counting began yesterday evening and is continuing. New Ireland All polling in Kavieng and Namatanai Open electorates has been completed and preparations are now being done for counting to start anytime this week or over the weekend. Bougainville The NZAID chartered vessel MV Bougainville Atolls is expected to arrive in Buka tomorrow morning Thursday July 5 to ferry polling teams and materials around the Bougainville atolls which include Caterets, Mottlock and Tasman Group of Islands Counting will be conducted in venues on Buka Island and it is expected to commence on Monday July 9. Highlands SHP Counting for the electorates is progressing well in Mendi.  HELA The Tari Township is reported to be quiet with people sitting around quietly while counting continues for its 3 Open electorates and the Provincial electorate.  ENGA Counting for Kandep and Wabag Open electorates has commenced in the capital Wabag. It is expected that counting for Lagaip-Porgera, Kompiam-Ambum and Wapenamanda should start today. WHP Polling started on Monday and concluded yesterday ended except for one polling.  JIWAKA Polling in the new province started today is and most likely to continue tomorrow. Chimbu A date for polling in Chimbu which goes to the polls after Jiwaka is yet to be set. Eastern Highlands will be last province to conduct polling and it will conclude polling activities for the Highlands Region. APPROVED FOR RELEASE ANDREW S. TRAWEN, CMG, MBE ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER Wednesday 04 July, 2012