The Bougainville Referendum Commission has successfully completed face-to-face enrolment and quality checking across Bougainville Wards, and is now data processing to prepare the Preliminary Referendum Roll for public display in September.

In six centres across Bougainville, teams of local Data Processing Officers are entering information from the completed and checked enrolment forms and annotated working rolls to prepare the Preliminary Referendum Roll.

Chief Referendum Officer, Mr Mauricio Claudio said, “The BRC would like to thank all Community Government Ward Recorders, Chairs and field staff involved in enrolment and awareness activities during the phase one and two of enrolment. Their commitment and contribution to this historic event is to be commended.”

“In many cases we have seen people enrol for the first time in an electoral process in Bougainville, and we want to give people that opportunity to be heard.”

In September the Preliminary Referendum Roll will be put on public display in a central location in each ward, as well as enrolment locations outside Bougainville. During this short three-week period, people should:

Check that their names are on the roll in the correct ward (and if not, submit a claim for enrolment / claim to transfer enrolment with their Ward Recorder)
Check that their details are correct (and if not, advise their Ward Recorder)
Lodge an objection against any ineligible voter to their Assistant Returning Officer.

With the recent referendum extension provided by the two governments, Bougainvilleans reaching 18 years of age on or before 23 November 2019, the date polling begins, should now use the phase three period to enrol.”

The Chief Referendum Officer said the BRC wants an inclusive and quality Referendum Roll and encouraged people to discuss the display of the Preliminary Referendum Roll with their Community Governments and Ward Recorders.

“The phase three public display period will be the last chance for eligible Bougainvilleans to make sure they are correctly enrolled to vote. It’s important that everyone uses the extra time provided by the two governments to check the Preliminary Referendum Roll,” Mr Claudio said.

At the end of face-to-face enrolment the BRC made nearly 1,000 payments last week to field staff. This includes awareness officers, awareness coordinators, ward recorders, enrolment coordinators (Community Government Executive Managers), enrolment team leaders (Community Government Chairs) and enrolment supervisors (Community Government Administration Assistants).

After the public display of the Preliminary Referendum Roll in September, the roll will be updated to produce the final Referendum Roll. Eligible Bougainvilleans not yet enrolled can also continue to visit BRC regional offices in Buka, Arawa, Buin (OBEC Office building).

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