South Choiseul By-Election Candidates Urged to Submit Election Campaign Expenses.

Candidates contesting South Choiseul National By-Election on the 19^th of May 2021 are advised to Submit their Election Campaign expenditures accounts before 15^th of September this year.

Chief Electoral Officer and Commissioner, Mrs Waetara said that this is to comply with SECTION 125 of the Electoral Act 2018.

The law requires all candidates contesting in any national parliamentary election in this case, recent national by-election for South Choiseul Constituency, must file their election related campaign expenditures to the Chief Electoral Officer within a 90 days period beginning a day after the date the election result for that particular election is published in the gazette, Mrs Waetara Explained.

Mrs Waetara said that, the result for the 2021 South Choiseul National Election was published in the gazette on the 17^th June, 2021 hence, the 90 days period begun on 18^th of June and would end on the 15^th of September, 2021”, she clarified.

She warns that, non-compliance to this law is a criminal offense liable to a fine of $20,000 penalty fine with and or 2 years’ imprisonment.

On top of the penalty, late submission or failing to submit before the deadline which is on the 15^th of September will be charged one hundred dollars ($100) each day a candidate fails to hand in his/her expense accounts, Mr Waetara said.

The final date for the filing of these expense account is 15^th September, 2021.

“Up to now, none of the candidates has submit his/her expense account as yet and I am urging all the six candidates who contested in the recent South Choiseul National By-Election to submit their expense accounts with the 90 days given period to avoid been charged with these heavy fines”, She urged.

Each candidate should be able to report all their election campaign related expenses on a special approved form to disclose all funding sources in which they have obtained money from for the purpose of election campaigning and detail proof on what and how they have used the money.

All completed expense form must reach the office of the Chief Electoral and Commissioners’ office no later than the close of business on Wednesday 15^th September, 2021 Mrs Waetara iterated.

To get a copy of the approved form or make enquiries, you may contact EPS Ms Linsey Indu (phone 7648766 or email lindu@siec.gov.sb) to access an electronic copy or hardcopy of this Form.