Provincial election results out
A voter casting her vote during this week’s provincial elections.
Results and counting for the nationwide Provincial election is now currently underway.
Western province now has new provincial members for wards 18 and 25, South Rendova and Noro respectively.
Counting for the Western provincial elections started at 9:30am this morning at the Noro Town Council Centre.
SIBC’s Leilani Makini reported, Western province Deputy Provincial Secretary Patrick Toirani declared the results at 2pm yesterday afternoon.
“Just around 2pm this afternoon results have been declared to the public. Western province Deputy Provincial Secretary Mr. Patrick Tiorani confirmed the wining candidates and their runner-ups and the wining candidates are: for South Rendova it’s Fredrick Alepitu who polled three hundred and ninety-five votes and the wining candidate for Noro ward 25 is Lonsy Zala with a total of four hundred and seventeen votes”.
She added, the provincial by-elections were held following the resignation of two members of the provincial assembly who contested the recent National General Elections.
“The By-elections came about following the resignation of two former provincial assembly members, Mr. George Solingi Lilo for South Rendova and also former MPA for Noro Mr. Billy Veo who have resigned to contest the National General Elections on 3rd April this year”.
Counting of ballot boxes for Temotu Provincial elections began yesterday, according to Returning Officer, Elvis Kekegolo.
Mr. Kekegolo said, all 25 ballot boxes from Nende and 7 from Nangu arrived safely at the Provincial Capital, Lata, yesterday night.
Mr. Kekegolo said the results for Temotu Nende were the first to be released, Mr Rueben Mewa was elected MPA for ward 8 Lata Luava, for ward 9 Graciosa Bay is Cecil Mona, for ward 10 Nea Nole is Ms Joyceline Ipei, and for ward 17 Neo is Mr Nickson Lanoli.
Wards 11 and 12, and 7 results are expected later today, and Tikopia and Anuta also completed their voting yesterday, where ballot boxes from Temotu Vatud are expected to arrive in Lata tomorrow.
Meanwhile in Malaita Procince the early closure of a polling station in ward 16 of East Malaita last yesterday has denied a number of people from casting their votes.
Presiding Officer responsible for the ward decided to close the polls early due to personal issues arising between an election official and another person.
SIBC stringer in East Malaita, Enoch Idui reports, the matter was not election-related but something between them a while ago.
He said the Presiding Officer had taken this step for security reasons.