31 Oct 2012

One unofficial result is out in Vanuatu's general elections

10:05 am on 31 October 2012

As vote counting continues from Vanuatu's general elections, the first unofficial result from the small island of Paama are out with candidate Jonas James of the Natatok Party the unofficial winner.

While the actual number of votes he won is not yet known, Natatok party spokesperson Tim Kalmet says Erakor Villagers in South Efate, the birthplace of the party, are already celebrating his victory.

The candidate is reported to have won the highest number of votes out of a total of 932 registered voters on the island.

Official results are still some days away.

Meanwhile, early reports indicate that voter turnout was poor, continuing a trend from the last general election in 2008.

However polling was largely free of disturbances across the country except for some fighting between supporters of rival candidates in Tanna, and threats against presiding officers in at least one polling booth in Port Vila when some voters found their names weren't on the electoral roll.

International election observers say their impression is that voting was conducted smoothly overall.