BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

IN a recent electoral oversight in the Solomon Islands, a crucial error occurred as pre-poll ballots were left uncounted due to an administrative mistake.

Chief Electoral Officer Jasper Highwood Anisi said it was accidently forgotten by Electoral officials.

He said when officers at the head office reconcile their data it came to light that certain pre-poll ballots for Isabel province were not included in the batches for counting.

These were the pre-poll ballots from Honiara that was handed over to the Isabel Electoral officials, before the counting started.

These overlooked ballots were found locked away in an electoral official’s room, unnoticed until the eleventh hour. The failure to include them in the count was an unintended oversight, Anisi said.

He explained the only process to rely on now is through the High Court of Solomon Islands, for the other two constituencies Maringe/Kokota and Hograno/ Kia/Havulei, the margin difference between the winner and runner-up was a big margin and so is not an issue.

However, for Gao/Bugotu constituency uncounted ballot was 13 and the margin between the winner and the runner-up 13 so it’s an issue, Anisi said

The court must issue an order to verify the uncounted pre-poll ballots for the Gao-Bugotu constituency. Depending on the outcome, if a tie arises among candidates, a fresh count will be mandated. However, if the margin between candidates remains unaffected by the uncounted ballots, the previously declared results may stand.

Anisi responding to questions raised on what consequences the Returning Officer or Electoral Officials will face, according to law there is no clear regulation, but emphasizes the need to assess each case on its merits, distinguishing between unintentional errors and deliberate misconduct. If foul play is suspected, the Commission will initiate an investigation and take appropriate action.

Anisi acknowledges the Commission’s responsibility for the oversight and plans to address it transparently. Recognizing the potential impact of the uncounted ballots on the election outcome, the Commission will write to the Attorney-General requesting to issue a status petition under section 109 of the Electoral Act, to enable the court to open the envelope of uncounted pre-poll ballot papers to determine the manner in which those 13 voters had voted.

The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission remains committed to preserving the fairness and accuracy of the electoral process, despite the challenges encountered.

Lobbing for the premiership post in Central Islands province begins this week and is expected to complete by next week.

Former premier and returning MPA for Ward 8 – North-west Ngella, Polycarp Galaigu, said he is confident in taking back the job.

Mr Galaigu said he has a number of outstanding policies to implement, since in his previous tenure he did not have enough time.

Galaigu came in about half-way after ousting the then premier, Stanley Manetiva.

Galagiu said in his small time, he managed to do great changes in Tulagi for example.

He facilitated the Tulagi market upgraded project, the renovation of Tulagi Hospital and the lease agreement made with the canary investors to operate in Tulagi for 75 years as agreed on in a lease document with the company.

Four other provincial members are also vying for the premier’s post.

Elijah Taikole, MPA elect for the ward of East Ngella, Michael Salini, MPA elect for Tulagi ward, Maurice Mae Tinoni, MPA elect for Sandfly and Beaunivesta ward and Kenneth Sagupari, MPA elect for West Ngella ward.

BY GREGORY HAKA ,STRINGER, TULAGI

SIEC advises aggrieved candidates to lodge petition with High Court

BY NED GAGAHE

The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) has clarified that the appropriate avenue to request re-count is with the court through petition not the SIEC.

SIEC Chief Electoral Officer Jasper Anisi made the clarification during a press conference yesterday in light of speculations that certain aggrieved candidates were disappointed with counting process and want a re-count.

According to Anisi the Returning Officers, after making the declarations of the winning candidates under section 106 of the Electoral Act, and notifying the Commission of the full results, the Returning Officers could not review their own decisions. The Returning Officers were in legal terms considered “functus officio”.

Anisi said that the only authority able to review the decisions of the Returning Officers is the High Court of Solomon Islands.

“Any request for vote recount has to be lodged through the High Court.

“The appropriate place to request recount is with the court through petition not the SIEC.

“Commission can’t do anything because the RO’s have already discharged their duties.”

He further explained that the Electoral Act provides for the types of petitions.

“Everyone has the right to invoke those process, it is there in the Electoral Act, the types of petitions that you can do to petition results, what we are saying here is that, because the courts will decide whether those complains or allegations have substance or not, if not they (the court) can dismiss it on frivolous claims (claims which lacks any arguable basis).

“So, with electoral provisions, as soon as Returning Officer (RO) discharge their duties, they cannot go back and corrected anything. So, technically in law no one is there to do your recount.”