JOINT ELECTION UPDATE

AND STATEMENT ON COMMISSION DIRECTIVE ON INADVERTENT ISSUING OF TENDERED BALLOT PAPERS IN PLACE OF ORDINARY BALLOT PAPERS.

The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) at its meeting held today on 18 April 2024, considered the issuing and use of tendered ballot papers instead of ordinary ballot papers during the polling for the Joint Election yesterday (17/04/24).

The Commission has issued a directive to all Returning Officers and Counting Officials  on the following:

1. That tendered ballot papers for Parliamentary, Provincial Assemblies and Honiara City Council wrongly issued and cast during polling day should be treated as an ordinary ballot paper for the purpose of the counting process.
2. All returning officers must, before the start of the verification process, inform counting agents and observers that tendered ballot papers cast will be counted.