Sorting underway after polls close on Bougainville

10:17 am on 26 May 2015

Bougainville's electoral commissioner says polling has now been completed in the autonomous region's third election.

The vote will see a Parliament elected which will have to set a date for a vote on possible independence.

The acting commissioner, George Manu, says the last polling was completed in the Atolls constituency on Saturday, and ballot boxes are now being transported for sorting, ahead of counting.

Mr Manu says the process of scrutinising ballots will begin this afternoon in three locations, in the presence of international observers and scrutineers representing candidates.

Bougainville elections

Bougainville elections Photo: Office of the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner

This will involve identifying ballots that may have been put in the wrong box, sorting papers into types and regions, ensuring voters were entitled to cast a vote and verifying that ballot boxes contain the correct number of papers.

Mr Manu says he expects this to be done by Thursday or Friday, ready for counting and the return of writs on the eighth of June.

Presidential ballot papers will be transported to Buka under police escort for counting there.

Mr Manu also announced that those with access to internet connection can also access the daily counting results on OBEC's website, www.obec.gov.pg.