BALLOT PAPER WITHOUT STAMPS QUESTIONED
Portrait of a voting ballot. Photo credit: Radio Facts.
President of the Solomon Islands Pan-Melanesia Congress Party Martin Matai seeks explanations from the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission on ballot papers without stamps at Kombito Polling station, East Honiara Constituency. Mr Matai asks the Electoral Commission to provide explanation for the Party’s candidates as to why there are no stamps on ballot papers.
Meanwhile a statement from the Electoral Commission states under section 38 of the National Parliament Electoral Provisions Act, every ballot paper must have an ‘official mark’ to considered a valid vote. It adds, the ‘official mark’ does not have to be a stamp, it can be the presiding officers signature or another kind of mark.
The SIEC issued stamp with every polling kit but if a polling station did not receive a stamp, every ballot paper would still be valid provided the Presiding Officer made an ‘official mark’ such as his or
her signature on the ballot paper.