VOTERS have until 5pm this evening to cast their votes in today’s national general election.
As such registered voters have been urged to be at their polling stations as soon as possible to avoid late or being denied the right to vote.
Election Manager for Honiara Jude Devesi said all polling stations will open at 7am until five O’clock in the evening where any later comer will not be allowed to go in and vote.
Mr Devesi said as soon as the clock hits the 5pm mark, all polling stations will be closed meaning that anyone who appears after 5pm would not be allowed to enter and cast his or her vote.
However, he said those who have already joined the queue will be allowed to cast their votes.
“As long as you are in the queue, by 5pm you will still vote but if you showed up after five, you will not be allowed to cast your vote,” he said.
He said after the voting completes, all the ballot boxes will be taken down to the police headquarter in Rove for safety purposes and security awaiting the next day to do the counting.
“Because it will be a long busy day and everybody will get tired, counting will not happen straight after the voting but will have to do it by Thursday morning,” he said.
Mr Devesi said the same will also happen to other polling stations throughout the country where all the ballot boxes will have to be taken to the provincial headquarters or any assigned station and counting should proceed.
Meanwhile, it is a common practise that as soon as the counting is done, results will then be announced by each returning officer of that particular polling station.
The Governor General will then be notified of any wining candidates for him to do the official announcement.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
