Lucas Bierepi has become the first member-elect for the newly created Kereaka Constituency in the west coast of North Bougainville. Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government Facebook
Lucas Bierepi has become the first member-elect for the newly created Kereaka Constituency on the west coast of North Bougainville.
Results are starting to come in from the election held earlier this month, after vote counting began on Friday following delays.
Vote counting was delayed twice last week - first on Tuesday due to major flooding, and again on Thursday evening due to the late arrival of ballot boxes from five provinces.
Bierepi won Kereaka with 976 votes, according to an online update by the Autonomous Bouganville Government (ABG).
Bierepi will now represent Kereaka in the 5th Bougainville House of Representatives.
Ezekiel Massat has been re-elected as the member for Tonsu Constituency. Massat secured a total of 1599 votes, surpassing the absolute majority requirement of 1456 votes after the fifth exclusion.
Fabian Epota Saleu has retained his seat for Torokina Constituency.
At the conclusion of counting, Epota Saleu secured 1,271 votes, surpassing the absolute majority of 1,062 votes, while runner-up Michael Piriri finished with 851 votes.
Bougainville electoral commissioner Desmond Tsianai told RNZ Pacific writs would need to be returned by 22 September.
He said voting had gone smoothly.
