A backpacker containing 25 voter identification cards was discovered in the bush just outside of Auki town, recently.
The voter ID cards belong to 25 registered voters of West Kwa’araea Constituency.
The man who found the bag, and showed it to the Sunday Star office in Auki, said he was clearing the bush when he stumbled on the bag.
“When I opened it, I saw the 25 voter ID cards neatly bundled and covered in a plastic foil,” the man, who asked not to be named, said.
He said some of the cards have already been affected by moist and rain.
“I believe the bag must have been thrown into the bush some time ago,” he said.
Voter ID cards were issued to every individual that registered to vote in the November 19 elections.
But voters don’t have to show that to election officials on polling day to vote.
Earlier reports of people selling their ID cards to candidates have been widespread.
There were also campaign managers collecting ID cards of voters with the promise that they would be assisted in the event the candidate wins the election.
Strictly, the ID cards remain the property of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission.
The man who found the backpacker said he suspects it must have been thrown into the bush by someone who purchase or collected them from voters.
However, another man who claimed to have dumped the bag, said he picked the backpacker in front of one of the shops in Auki.
“The owner of the bag must have forgotten it,” he said.
“After I picked up the bag and realised there were voter ID cards in it, I became panic so I decided to throw it away in the bush,” the man claimed.
He said he believed the bag must belong to a candidate on a campaign manager.
The Electoral Office in Auki confirmed voters can still vote without having to show their ID cards when the go to the polls on Wednesday.
Addresses on the ID cards show they belong to voters in Fau’abu ward.
Sixteen candidates are contesting the West Kwa’ara’ae seat.
BY TEDDY KAFO
in Auki
