На выборах в Порт-Виле в каждом из пяти округов зафиксированы недействительные бюллетени

Void votes were recorded in every ward during the August 26 Port Vila City Council (PVCC) election, according to the officially published election results, although the number of invalid ballots remained relatively low compared with the total votes cast. The results, published in accordance with paragraph 85(1)(b) of the Electoral Act No. 16 of 2023, show that a combined 68 votes were declared void across the five Port Vila City Council wards. A total of 10,801 votes were cast across the five wards, with 10,733 declared valid and 68 classified as void. The highest number of void votes was recorded in the Malapoa/Tagabe Ward, where 34 ballots were declared void from 3,297 votes cast. The ward had 9,562 registered voters, producing a turnout of 34.48 per cent. Of the votes cast, 3,263 were valid and 34 were void. In the Anabrou/Melcoffee Ward, 16 votes were declared void out of 1,690 votes cast. The ward recorded 1,674 valid votes from 5,480 registered voters, giving a turnout of 30.84 per cent. The Freshwota/Tassiriki Ward recorded 10 void votes from 3,421 ballots cast. A total of 3,411 votes were declared valid, with turnout reaching 34.72 per cent among 9,852 registered voters. In the Centre Ward, five votes were declared void out of 1,366 votes cast. The ward recorded 1,361 valid votes from 3,174 registered voters, representing the highest turnout among the five wards at 43.04 per cent. The South Ward recorded the lowest number of void votes, with three ballots declared void from 1,027 votes cast. The ward had 1,024 valid votes and recorded a turnout of 35.41 per cent from 2,900 registered voters. Malapoa/Tagabe accounted for half of all void votes recorded across the five wards, with 34 ballots classified as invalid. The ward was also the largest of the five in terms of votes cast, with 3,297 ballots submitted by voters. Lopez Adams, running as an independent candidate, topped the poll with 815 votes, followed by Rural Development Party (RDP) candidate John Surao with 508 votes and Union of Moderate Parties (UMP) candidate Sereanna Carlos with 214 votes. These three candidates were declared elected to the three available seats. Despite the presence of void ballots in all five wards, the official results indicate that they represented only a small proportion of votes cast. Across the wards, the overwhelming majority of ballots were accepted as valid, with voters successfully casting more than 10,600 valid votes. The results also show differences in voter turnout between wards. Centre Ward recorded the highest turnout at 43.04 per cent, while Anabrou/Melcoffee had the lowest at 30.84 per cent. Malapoa/Tagabe recorded a turnout of 34.48 per cent, Freshwota/Tassiriki 34.72 per cent and South Ward 35.41 per cent. The figures provide an indication of voter participation and ballot validity in the latest PVCC election. While the number of void votes was relatively small, their occurrence across every ward highlights the importance of ensuring voters understand the requirements for correctly marking their ballots. The official results do not, however, provide a breakdown explaining why individual ballots were declared void. The five wards collectively returned 17 councillors, with the UMP securing several seats across the city. The results also saw representation from the RDP, Vanua’aku Pati (VP), Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP), Vanuatu Green Confederation (VGC), Reunification Movement for Change (RMC) and an independent candidate. The Electoral Services Commission says greater participation in voter awareness programmes could help reduce the number of void votes recorded during elections. Speaking to the Daily Post before Election Day, Director of the Electoral Services Guilain Malessas said election teams conducted voter awareness activities across all five wards of Port Vila ahead of the recent PVCC election. Director Malessas said the awareness campaign was carried out over a period of about three weeks before polling day, with the aim of helping voters understand the voting process and how to correctly mark their ballots. He said the awareness sessions were an important opportunity for voters to learn what they needed to do at polling stations and avoid mistakes that could result in their ballots being declared void. “We went around the five wards to conduct awareness before the election,” Malessas said. He explained that the campaign was specifically designed to give voters enough information on how to cast their votes correctly. However, Malessas said the Commission observed that public participation in some of the awareness sessions was lower than expected. He said some members of the public did not take advantage of the opportunity to attend the sessions, despite the electoral teams being available in the communities for several weeks. According to Malessas, stronger participation in voter education could help reduce confusion among voters and potentially lower the number of ballots rejected as void. The issue of void votes has drawn attention following the publication of the official PVCC election results, which recorded void ballots in all five wards. He said voters who experience difficulties when casting their ballots should not hesitate to seek assistance at polling stations. He stated that elderly voters, people who have difficulty seeing and those who remain unsure about the voting process should ask polling officials for assistance. He said polling officials are available to help voters who experience difficulties with their voting cards or who may struggle to complete the voting process. “The polling presiding officers are there to help and assist people who are facing difficulties with their cards and also people who are struggling to cast their votes,” Malessas said. The election was conducted on August 26, with the official results now confirming the successful candidates and the number of valid and void ballots recorded in each ward. While the 68 void votes did not significantly affect the overall number of valid ballots, the figures form part of the official election record and provide a measure of how ballots were processed across Port Vila’s five wards.