4 Jul 2012

PNG voting process in flux amid poor weather

5:26 pm on 4 July 2012

Papua New Guinea's electoral commission is reworking its logistics on a daily basis to cope with confusion about the voter roll and poor weather.

AAP reports that the Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, says much of the polling is expected to be completed on time on July the 6th, but voting will be extended in some areas.

He says due to a delayed start of polling and bad weather in some areas, helicopter schedules have been reworked on a daily basis to meet the transportation requirements for polling teams.

Voting in 11 of PNG's 22 provinces has finished but the process may be extended in Gulf province as electoral officials made their way through rugged terrain.

Voting in Western Province is expected to continue until July the 11th and in the Bougainville atolls until July the 9th.

Chimbu province will now begin voting on Friday and a date has yet to be set for polling in Eastern Highlands province.