Updating the electoral common roll was (and is still) a challenging task the electoral commission has had to endure. Leaving it until the last minute is going to make things difficult. The 2022 electoral common roll update began late in September 2021.
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The 2017 electoral common roll was the worst in PNG's election history.
Roll inflation and ghost names have marred the last election.
But, is PNG looking forward to a free and fair election in 2022?
2022 national general election electoral common roll updates
Since 2019, NGOs and political commentators suggested the 2022 electoral roll update be done swiftly. However, the preparations for the roll update were delayed to September 2021 and work began in December 2021.
The PNG electoral commission said that they are ready, but this was the same thing they said in 2017. Yet in some parts of the Highlands region, the electoral roll was inflated to over 70% of the population.
The 2017 electoral roll update was the worst in PNG's election history because it was riddled with ghost names and names of children under the age of 18.
The recent by-election for Port Moresby North-west had the same problem where some residents do not have their names on the common roll.
One observer wrote...
Some frustrations from voters whose names were not on the electoral roll but otherwise an orderly process at the polling stations I visited in Hohola and Waigani this morning. [Keith Scott @KeithScottFCDO, Twitter]
2022 electoral roll updates & validation
What is needed is not only an electoral roll update - but an update and validation. So that everyone living and residing in the electoral is accounted for.
This can be done. The electoral commission does not need an additional K112 million to do that. It can do this within its budgetary allocation.
Get a competent team to do it.
PNG electoral roll search 2022
PNG Electoral Commission Electoral Roll 2022 should be ready. Yet, there's no clear indication of where to get the latest (updated) roll. Here is what you can do to get the 2022 updated electoral roll.
The EC is the right place to check if you are an intending candidate wanting to know your electoral voting population. Talk to the provincial returning officer (PRO) and district returning officer (DRO). They are representatives of the electoral commission - the right people to get the updated list from.
Alternatively, you can also check the 2017 electoral (common) roll at the PNG EC website - follow this link >> https://www.pngec.gov.pg/irc/roll-lookup/RollLookUp
PNG roll lookup 2022 app
Smartphone users can download the PNG Roll Lookup 2022 on Google play.
- Go to the Google play store
- Search for "PNG Roll Lookup 2022"
- Install the app and search for your name.
Rush roll updates and no validation affect free and fair elections
As mentioned, any new government formed after the election has to make the electoral roll update its number 1 priority.
This is will pave the way for a free and fair election in the future.
