EASTERN HIGLANDS PROVINCE SEEKS WAY FORWARD FOR ELECTION IN THE PROVINCE
Increasing number of polling locations can be a way forward for Eastern Highlands province to address election related violence says the provincial Election Manager Steven Gore Kaupa.
He said polling was conducted in designated sites that were used in the past, with no new sites established to separate the growing population for convenient voting.
Today the population has increased in each ward and is still growing. Hence, the Election team is planning to visit these wards with the highest population to find solutions come before 2027 National General Elections.
Kaupa said two wards with the highest population in the province include Kama area of the Gahuku LLG with a population of over 10,000 and Mimanalo ward one with a population of about 8,000.
He stressed that overcrowding in a polling area is the main cause of conflicts during polling in an area with high population.
“These places with high population have only one to two polling locations which creates tension when many miss out to cast their vote,” Kaupa said.
He said they will compile a report after visiting Kama and Mimanalo and have it submitted to the Electoral Commission so that the electoral team can visit all the 25 LLGs in the province to create more polling sites.
This is in preparation of the upcoming 2027 National Elections to avoid election related conflicts during polling.
