Nabilah Safira
TechInPacific – The PNG election system has now implemented color-coded ballot papers to avoid abuse in any form.
“All policemen and women deployed in the security operations for the by-election will be based in the five different wards according to their colors and are not allowed to overlap except for the support units like mobile squad units, they are the only ones who can overlap,” NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu said.
“This is so that there is transparency and accountability and the control center can be able to monitor the movement of our policemen and women. We hope that this will be a way forward for the 2022 National Elections.”
The Electoral Commission has found cases where the candidates are printing ballot papers to give to their supporters to take into the polling booth, therefore the color code is a way of prevention this sort of abuse.
“Ward 1 will have a separate color from ward 7, we will have separate color coding to avoid ballot paper rigging and other abuse, the Acting Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai explained.
The ballot papers are also color-coded by five wards to make it easier for counters to identify during the elimination count. Ward 1 ballot papers were colored in pink, ward 7 in green, blue for ward 8, yellow ward 10, and red ward 11.”
A total of 89,000 ballot papers have been printed and sorted in packs of 50, he said.
“I would like to encourage Moresby Northwest voters, candidate supporters, and the general public to abide by the election laws and support this event to be free, fair, and safe for all.”
Source: Postcourier.com.pg
