11 Dec 2018

Warning against illegal campaigning in Solomons

6:10 pm on 11 December 2018

The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission is warning all potential election candidates and their agents not to campaign before the official election date has been announced.

Chief Electoral Officer of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission,  Moses Saitala, speaks to voters about the Biometric Voter Registration update exercise in Honiara Solomon Islands. 12 August 2018.

Chief Electoral Officer of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission, Moses Saitala, speaks to voters about the Biometric Voter Registration update exercise in Honiara Solomon Islands. 12 August 2018. Photo: Solomon Islands Electoral Commission

The commission said it was aware of illegal campaign activities being carried out in communities under the guise of awareness talks.

It warned that any person who engaged in campaign activity outside the official campaign period was commiting an offence.

Offenders risk a fine of almost $USD2495 two years imprisonment, or both.

The legal campaign period starts on the day the Governor General proclaims the election date and ends 24 hours before the polling day.

The electoral commission is urging people to report any illegal campaign activities in their electorate.