Overseas voting for the Bougainville Independence referendum is underway at polling stations on Gizo in Solomon Islands and Cairns in Australia.
Polling in the Bougainville independence referendum at Hutjena Station. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Johnny Blades
It is the first time overseas polling, which began yesterday, has been conducted for an election in Bougainville and Papua New Guinea.
Polling in Gizo and Cairns continues today and then moves to Honiara and Brisbane.
The chief referendum officer, Mauricio Claudio, said the four overseas polling locations were chosen because they had the largest communities of Bougainvilleans outside of PNG.
"It points to the importance of getting every Bougainvillean, who's eligible to vote, to actually vote in this referendum, but it also points to how inclusive this process has been."
Historic overseas voting for Bougainville referendum underway