Voters from South Choiseul Constituency will now go to the poll to elect their Member of Parliament on 19th May, 2021.
This was confirmed by signing of the Election date instrument by His Excellency, the Governor-General, Sir. David Vunagi, which was later published in the gazette yesterday.
Chief Electoral Officer, Mrs. Jane Waetara said that the By-Election Date legal instrument and its publication in the gazette initiate the 56 days election timeline leading up to Election Day.
Nomination of candidates will start from 24th March till 7th of April 2021. Candidates wishing to contest in the by-election are to see Returning Officer who is stationed at Malangono nomination center in South Choiseul Constituency to receive nominations.
South Choiseul Constituency parliamentary seat has left vacant for almost a year since Robertson Galokale had lost the seat through a successful election petition launched against him following the 2019 National General Election.
The publication of the election date has opened the legal election campaign period which begins from the 23rd March till midnight on the 17th May 2021.
“I want to remind voters, candidates, and their supporters that, campaigning outside the legal campaign period is an election offense with a heavy penalty”, Mrs. Waetara said.
She added, “this by-election is a result of finding candidates not complying with election rules and so intending candidates must be aware of the election rules and offences, to conduct themselves and their supporters in accordance to the Electoral Act”.
Section 124 of the Electoral Act 2018 provides a maximum penalty of $20,000, or 2 years imprisonment or both for a candidate convicted of campaigning outside the campaign period.
There is no voter registration update for these by-elections; therefore, all voters registered for the 2019 NGE will remain as approved by the Electoral Commission.
Solomon Islands Electoral Commission is calling on voters from South Choiseul Constituency and the interested public to check all available media outlets for more updates regarding the by-election.
