Papua New Guineans living overseas wanting to cast their votes in this 2022 National General Election will continue to use postal voting system instead of just going online to cast their votes for their candidates.
According to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Electoral Commissioner Mr. Simon Sinai, Papua New Guineans overseas can start applying to vote now through the PNG Embassy or High Commission offices.
The applications will be processed through the Department of Foreign Affairs and then the names will be checked and confirm by the Returning Officer if they’re on the electoral roll.
Mr. Sinai said if everything is in order, then the postal ballot papers will be sent over to those that have applied to vote, which they will later send back with the postal envelope.
“We have no electronic arrangements yet, there is no law covering the electronic system so we’ll just have to go manually but the process is a little bit long,” said the electoral commissioner.
Mr. Sinai further explained that there are two different categories of the postal voting system. One is for those people overseas, the other one is for those security personnel that are currently engaged in the election security operations.
“Those ones we can get their names, check them and send it (Postal vote) to them. At least one or two people can go and get them to vote, or they can either post them. It’s already in the election process.”
Meanwhile, polling will take place across the country on the 4th of July, which is just a week away.