The Bougainville Referendum Commission is calling for eligible voters who need to make a postal vote to apply to do so quickly.
Bougainvilleans check the voter roll ahead of their region's independence referendum Photo: Bougainville Referendum Commission
Bougainvilleans are to vote on independence from Papua New Guinea from 23 November.
In a statement released yesterday, the Commission said that postal voting was allowed for those more than 16km from a polling place, or for health reasons.
The applications for postal voting will close at 4pm local time on 22 November and people are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Any enrolled voter can apply for a postal vote so long as they meet the following criteria:
- Being more than 16km away from the nearest polling booth during the polling period (this includes polling booths set up outside of Bougainville, in PNG, Australia or Solomon Islands)
- Being seriously ill/infirm/disabled, about to give birth or caring for a young child
- Holding religious beliefs that prevent them from attending a polling booth to vote
Applications for postal voting can be made by using the Commission's application form or in writing.
The application form, polling schedule and further information are available on the [www.bougainville-referendum.org BRC website], at BRC regional offices and the PNGEC Head Office in Port Moresby.
Application forms and further information can also be requested via email. After applications have been received, the BRC will make arrangements to deliver the postal voting pack to the voter.