Bougainvilleans living in Lae city went to the polls on Friday 5th September to take part in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) elections, but some of them were left disappointed. Polling was held at Lae Secondary School, with citizens turning out to cast their votes. However, some voters were frustrated when they discovered their names missing from the electoral roll. Morobe Election Manager Simon Soheke confirmed the problem and said it was not only happening in Lae. “It’s the same situation happening across the country,” he said. He noted that even some Bougainvilleans who had voted in 2019 were not listed this time. Despite the roll issues, Soheke said the polling was peaceful, with voters showing patience as officials worked through the process. The exercise in Lae was part of a nationwide effort to give Bougainvilleans outside the region the chance to vote in shaping the future of their government.