Referendum Roll Update in second phase
The referendum roll update is currently in its second phase, with an extension of the enrolment period for Bougainville until the issue of writs in August.
Chief Referendum Officer of the Bougainville Referendum Commission, Mauricio Claudio says that this enrolment period will continue in Bougainville until August 16, to allow for all eligible voters to have a chance to register and enroll their names to be on the referendum roll.
“The referendum timeline is short. We have until the issue of Writs in 16 August which is the official close of enrolment, so the BRC cannot make late changes and extensions at this stage without affecting the quality of the roll, compromising the law or jeopardizing the Referendum dates set by the two governments.” Claudio said.
The second phase includes the house-to-house enrolment which is being led by respective ward recorders throughout Bougainville.
The BRC have also set up three regional centers in Buka, Arawa and Buin towns respectively to give access to eligible voters in urban centers to enroll their names.
For other provinces across the country, this phase is being facilitated through the provincial Electoral Commission offices, for non-resident Bougainvilleans to enroll, while overseas enrolment have begun in Solomon Islands and Australia respectively.
This third phase of the referendum roll update is the public display of the preliminary roll in every ward across Bougainville, which is expected to happen before the issue of writs in August.
BRC Commissioner, Ruby Mirinka, when speaking at the public awareness in Arawa this week, said that this third phase is important because it allows for the people to check their names, correct misspellings and add their name if it is still not on the roll.
“Phase three is the quality check which will be done at the ward level and gives people at the ward level, the chance to check and ensure that all names of eligible voters from their respective wards,” she said.
The BRC urges people in Bougainville who are not yet on the roll to go to your nearest BRC regional center to fill out an enrolment form.
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