3 Dec 2007

More concerns about the running of the recent Marshall Islands election

4:17 pm on 3 December 2007

Further concern has been expressed about the securing of postal votes following the Marshall Islands general election.

Final election results are still not available although vote tabulation in the capital, Majuro, finished more than a week ago.

Preliminary results indicate that the opposition Aelon Kein Ad party has won more seats than the ruling United Democratic Party, but not a clear majority.

The counting of postal ballots, which is set to begin tomorrow, could determine the outcome of many of the 33 parliament seat races.

Majuro candidate, David Kramer, says postal voting has been badly processed.

"The postal ballots have ben coming in to the Post Office and electoral officers haven't been going to the Post Office to pick them up. They've just been sitting in a box on the floor I understand, sitting there for weeks, and then just this past week on Wednesday because of a lot of concern from candidates and public, they decided to go and pick them up."

David Kramer