New Ireland by-election enters final exclusion, declaration next

The race for the New Ireland Provincial seat has tightened significantly, with the field now narrowed to just three candidates following the latest round of counting.

As of Tuesday morning, People’s Progress Party [PPP] candidate and early frontrunner Byron Chan continues to hold his lead with 20,581 votes. He is followed by Independent candidate Kepas Aruban Wali, who sits in second place with 14,411 votes, a margin of 6,170.

Joshua Takin Soi, running under the National Alliance [NA] banner, remains in third place with 10,963 votes.

Provincial Returning Officer Benjamin Kliawi confirmed that the absolute majority has been recalculated to 22,978 votes. Because no candidate reached this threshold in the seventh round, the process has moved into the eighth and final exclusion.

Kliawi stated that Joshua Takin Soi has now been eliminated from the race. The distribution of Soi’s 10,963 second-preference votes is currently underway and is expected to determine the final winner.

Election officials anticipate a formal declaration will be made later this afternoon as the counting reaches its conclusion.