LLG elections delayed to September

The East New Britain Provincial Election Advisory Committee is encouraging a peaceful extended campaign period for their candidates contesting in this year’s LLG Elections.

The province has received a circular from the PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai, via the Provincial Electoral Commission office in Kokopo, regarding a decision to defer the polling dates for the 2025 LLG and Ward Elections in the country.

The change will see polling be moved back by 2 months, from July 12th to September 27th.

Hence, this will also affect the date for the return of writs, which has been deferred from the 22nd of August to the 17th of November, 2025.

Provincial Administrator and Chairman of the Provincial Election Advisory Committee [PEAC] Levi Mano assured the PNGEC and the people of East New Britain province, that they will be adhering to this circular and the proposed changes in the dates for polling.

He says they are ready to conduct polling in the province, as they have been preparing for the conduct of the LLG Elections since last year.

The provincial administrator says despite the delay in polling, this also gives ample time for candidates to do their campaigns, and likewise the PEAC to finalize preparations for polling in all the 23 local level governments.

Mr Mano further says polling has been deferred due to the PNGEC conducting several elections at the same time, which includes 5 National By-elections, the Motu-Koita Assembly elections and the LLG elections in the country, that is inclusive of 12 provinces that are voting for both Ward Members and LLG Presidents.

Another reason was the proclamation and late notifications of new wards and LLGs in parts of the country as well as administrative irregularities that require resolution from the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs [DPLGA] and funding and procurement delays, which remains a critical challenge for the PNGEC.