21 Oct 2011

Kiribati completes first stage of general election

7:08 pm on 21 October 2011

The polls have closed in today's first round of voting in the Kiribati parliamentary election.

Up to 40 thousand people have been voting for the country's 44 MPs.

MW reports the main island of Tarawa.

"The electoral office says voting went smoothly in the biggest electorate of South Tarawa, but there were long delays in the 2nd biggest, Betio. The electoral commission was forced to advertise on the radio, clarifying the ordering of ballot papers, following complaints from some candidates. Results from today's poll are expected to be known tomorrow morning. Any candidate who wins 50 percent of the vote will be declared from the first round, and another round will be held of the top-polling candidates for the remaining seats."