The Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNG EC) released the tentative dates for the 2022 national general election in May 2021. That was almost a year before the national elections.
PNG Insight gives detail on this and the countdown to the major election activities here (countdown to major election events). You can also get the deferral dates from the updated article.
PNG Electoral Commission 2022 Election Dates Updates
The electoral commission has to either stick to the tentative dates or risk losing time. Moving the dates around can affect election timing which can impact the election 2022 program.
As planned, each activity is given enough time and is in line with the past election dates. Here is the breakdown according to the current (tentative) arrangement:
- Intending candidates have 7 days to make their election nominations.
- The window of 7 weeks campaign period from the close of the nomination to the start of polling.
- Polling will take place over 2 weeks (14 days).
- Counting of elections is scheduled to take place over a period of 3 weeks initially. It was changed to 6 weeks, then to just 1 week. (For an unknown reason, counting is now planned for only 1 week)
- 2022 PNG National General Election takes place over a period of 13.5 weeks.
- Return of Writs is pegged to the 29th of July 2022.
'Section 105 of the National Constitution states that a general election to the Parliament shall be held within the period of three months before the fifth anniversary of the day fixed for the return of the writs for the previous general election.' PNGTI https://t.co/P0p1UCKVlL
— P.N.G. Insight (@PNG_Insight) April 25, 2022
2022 PNG Election tentative dates changes
All election-related events (nomination, campaign, polling, counting, writs) have been allocated sufficient time, that is why there is no need to change the tentative date.
However, in the past elections, we saw the campaign period was reduced, and counting was extended in some parts of the country.
In fact, this had affected the 'return of writs'. And lead to a whole lot of inconveniences.
Remember last election when Gumine Open has two elected MPs sitting in 1st parliament sitting? That's a clear example of PNG EC incompetency.
What we now see is an act of naivety by the PNG EC when it leaves the election dates in limbo, nevertheless.
Funding can be an issue. But the govt/treasury has no right, but excuses, to withhold funding.
Inevitably, the 2022 PNG election has been deferred by two weeks citing preparations for the 7 new electorates.
Return of Writs is pegged to the 1st of August 2022. We made an adjustment to our earlier article.
PNG EC need to rely on experience, wisdom, judgement
Recently, the EC change the polling date from the 25th of June to the 18th of June 2022. That was the first change to the tentative dates. Polling is now confirmed for the 9th of July 2022.
The EC cannot let the circumstance dictates to it what it must do.
This is the national general elections.
Dates must be set, confirmed and finalised and followed through.
The EC must know that the National General Elections are above any govt. It's a mandatory requirement govt past and present submit to.
It is now too late to make any other changes.
Election tentative dates are important
In an NCB news report the
'Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says writs for the 2022 national election will not be issued next Thursday.'
He also said that
'the date of April 28th for the issue of writs is only part of the tentative election program. The PNG Electoral Commission has not released any official dates as yet.'
The official tentative dates have no problems with them. These dates must be confirmed and locked in.
The current prime minister gave his backing for the election dates as reported by The National.
Other administrative matters should not interfere with election dates. Period.
PNG 2022 election unlike others in the past
The PNG 2022 election will be the most closely watched election unlike others in the past.
The international (Australia and Pacific) media outlets will be watching and reporting. They can make their own stories, but what matters the most is a successful election.
That means that the electoral commission must be decisive, and be confident in the date it set earlier. There is no need to change it.
There is no room to move things around now.
Why is mobile phone & internet important for 2022 PNG election?
News and information travel fast on the internet. But importantly, social media in PNG will be lit with election-related events.
In fact, the internet coverage in PNG is much better than it was 6 years ago. Also, the recent inception of Vodafone PNG is an added bonus, it cannot come at the right time.
It is going to be an interesting election.
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