BY BEN BILUA
In Choiseul
THE by-election to vote a Member of Parliament for South Choiseul Constituency was successfully completed yesterday.
A total of 17 polling stations were established for voters to cast their votes with 21 Royal Solomon Islands Police Force officers providing security.
Voters at Sasamungga went to poll around 7am yesterday morning. Voters already joined the queue as early as 6am before the media and observers reached the polling station.
A similar enthusiastic response was seen at Malangono. Voters came in early to cast their votes; as a result, polling was completed around midday.
All polling stations closed at 5pm and all the ballot boxes were sealed before being transported to Malangono Polling Station for safe keeping. They were later transported to Taro for counting today.
Speaking to the media, South Choiseul Returning Officer, Henry Deva said 80 percent of 6,800-plus voters casted their vote.
He told the media that some of the voters have died, and that changed the voters list.
Deva said the polling station have established special voting access for people with disability and the elderly, and that welcomes the elderly to cast their votes.
“I was impressed to see voters turn out today (yesterday). On top of that, I was also impressed that voters follow the COVID-19 instructions like hand washing in all polling station.”
He said the ballot papers will be kept overnight at Malangono Polling station with 22 Royal Solomon Islands Police Force plus electoral officials on guard.
“Tonight (yesterday night) all ballot boxes will be kept overnight at Malangono. Our Police officers will guide the ballot boxes to avoid tempering. Tomorrow morning (today morning) the ballot boxes will be transported to Taro by the police,” Deva explained.
He salutes the five Assistant Electoral officers who have played an important role making it easier to mobilise activities during the polling day.
Deva stressed that team work really paid resulting in the successful roll out of the polling day.
He acknowledged voters for behaving during the voting as well as respecting the process and procedures of electoral commission.
