While violence and other election related issues were reported across polling in Moresby North-East, some voters at Ward 5 (Apex Park) did not cast their votes.
Polling officials stopped polling around 6pm, recounted the ballot box with scrutineers then sealed it off and went away.
A working mother said the system is just unfair. Mary John expressed concerns that there was enough time left for some of the residents to vote.
“Why are you stopping us to vote? We were out whole day at our work place. I came here at 5pm to join the que to vote. Now I am denied,” said Mrs John.
She said according to her family who came earlier the day to vote, the polling stations were filled with people not from around the Ward 5 area.
Mrs John said most had to attend to their office work after days of deferral by the Electoral Commission last week. She said she knocked off at 4pm at work and had to travel home to vote at Apex Park.
“This is not fair, I pay tax, I contribute to the economy of the city and the country,” said John.
A voter told Inside PNG the polling officials came around midday. He said voters came early as 8am to vote.
“We came early but waited for almost four hours. The EC officials were late. They had the whole week last week to prepare. Polling started late and finished early,” said Peter Nofe.
Nofe said EC should be blamed for this madness. He said those responsible must be sacked.
“This election is not fair. We keep on emphasizing for a free and fair elections every five years. But it’s not”, said Mr Nofe.
Meanwhile a youth told Inside PNG he voted more than twice today. He said there was no common roll used.
“I voted at 12pm, 3pm and 5pm. Once my hand was inked, I went back home, washed the ink using detergent then came back to vote another candidate. The six polling stations made it easy for me to take turns and vote,” he said.
He confidently said the polling officials and security personnel were not strict. The youth said all they were doing was to ensure people stand in line and are given ballot papers to vote.
“I did vote three times but chose to vote different candidates. It’s up to them now to count and finalize the winning candidate,” he said.
The youth said the 2017 national election was totally different. “I voted once in 2017, but not in 2022. I believe with no proper common roll and identification checks, many of us were able to vote more than once.
I know it’s not right but the process has allowed me and the others,” he said.
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