PEOPLE'S National Congress Party candidate and a former defence minister Peter Waieng is closing the gap with only 65 votes separating him and Constitutional Democratic candidate Tobias Kulang in the Kundiawa-Gembogl by-election race, The National reports.
Waieng scored 2,893 votes while Kulang maintained a narrow lead of 2,958 votes after count 27 as at 7pm last night, after day five of the first preference counts.
Following them was veteran politician Mathew Siune with 1,505 votes.
Independent candidate William Gumayagl Onguglo is in fourth spot with 989 votes and another independent candidate Baundo Tokam is fifth with 989 votes.
The top five spots were confirmed after a total of 18, 022 ballot papers were counted. 283 ballot papers were ruled informal and the total votes allowed for distributions were 17, 739.
It is understood a total of 39 boxes from the 93 were counted which leaves 54 more boxes yet to be counted for the primary votes.
Progress tallies for other candidates were still being done with counting from count 28.
However, results were still being finalised and should be released today.
Returning Officer for Kundiawa-Gembogl James Piapia called for the co-operation of scrutineers for candidates and urged them to seek assistance should there be any confusion on the new electronic counting system.
He was happy with the smooth progress of the counting, but appealed to candidates, scrutineers, counting officials and those involved to complete the counting within 11 days.
The results should be with the Governor-General on Aug 26.
Chimbu elections manager Steven Gore Kaupa commended the smooth progress of the counting so far.
Kaupa expects a winning candidate to be declared by Sunday based on the current progress of the counting.
Waieng scored 2,893 votes while Kulang maintained a narrow lead of 2,958 votes after count 27 as at 7pm last night, after day five of the first preference counts.
Following them was veteran politician Mathew Siune with 1,505 votes.
Independent candidate William Gumayagl Onguglo is in fourth spot with 989 votes and another independent candidate Baundo Tokam is fifth with 989 votes.
The top five spots were confirmed after a total of 18, 022 ballot papers were counted. 283 ballot papers were ruled informal and the total votes allowed for distributions were 17, 739.
It is understood a total of 39 boxes from the 93 were counted which leaves 54 more boxes yet to be counted for the primary votes.
Progress tallies for other candidates were still being done with counting from count 28.
However, results were still being finalised and should be released today.
Returning Officer for Kundiawa-Gembogl James Piapia called for the co-operation of scrutineers for candidates and urged them to seek assistance should there be any confusion on the new electronic counting system.
He was happy with the smooth progress of the counting, but appealed to candidates, scrutineers, counting officials and those involved to complete the counting within 11 days.
The results should be with the Governor-General on Aug 26.
Chimbu elections manager Steven Gore Kaupa commended the smooth progress of the counting so far.
Kaupa expects a winning candidate to be declared by Sunday based on the current progress of the counting.
What is the latest count update now brother?
ReplyDelete