27 Sep 2005

Solomons to use single ballot box system at next election

3:24 pm on 27 September 2005

Solomon Islands will use a single ballot box voting system next year.

The parliament has passed the new voting system in Honiara, and it will be used in the upcoming election in early 2006.

Solomon Islands has been using a multiple ballot box system which the national parliament had to amend in the recent meeting to avoid voting irregularities.

The chief electoral officer, Martin Karani, says the electoral commission will in October begin awareness programmes to educate voters about the new single ballot box voting system.

He says the programmes will continue until the elections, but the registration of voters will begin on October 1st.

Mr Karani says the electoral commission will hold a nationwide mock election as part of the awareness programme to enable people to take part and experience the new election system.