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Bougainville Election Process Begins As Writs Issued
The Bougainville election process begins today with the issuance of the writs on Monday.
Nominations open Tuesday, 8 July and close on Thursday, 10 July.
Voting is scheduled for one week starting on 2 September, allowing seven weeks of campaigning.
Candidates will be vying for 46 seats in total, with the autonomous parliament agreeing earlier this year to add five additional seats.
The seats were created with the establishment of five new constituencies: two in South and Central, and one in North Bougainville.
"This is one of the most important democratic tasks of any nation - to conduct elections where the people exercise the ultimate power to re-elect or de-elect the representatives who have served them in the last House," Bougainville parliament Speaker Simon Pentanu said.
"The elections in Bougainville have always been fair, honest, transparent, and equitable. This is a history we should all be proud of and a record we must continue to uphold," he said.
The region's electoral commissioner Desmond Tsianai said the issuing of writs was a significant event in the electoral calendar.
"We have delivered credible elections in the past and I assure you all that we are prepared, and we will have this election delivered at international standards of free, fair and inclusive - and most importantly, according to the law."
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