NIP by-election heads into elimination round

The New Ireland Provincial Seat by-election counting, is expected to go into elimination, as counting resumes today.

This follows the completion of primary counts, and quality checks on all the 10 Local Level Government ballot boxes, as of 6 PM last night.

After the completion of primary votes counting, former Namatanai MP and People's Progress Party candidate, James Byron Chan, is leading the race with 19,280 votes.

In second placing is Kepas Aruban Wali, an Independent candidate with 12, 551 votes and in third placing, is National Alliance candidate, Joshua Takin Soi with 8,464 votes.

Fourth is Chris Gai, an Independent candidate with 2,349 votes and fifth is Our Party's Hosea Topit Kalis with 1,638 votes.

The Total Allowable Ballot papers is 46, 687, while the Absolute Majority now stands at 23, 344 votes.