Pentecost by-election

Sumptoh tallied  total of 2,756 votes in the by-election which was held last Friday.

The commission reported a poor turn out with 8,803 of the 18,587 of the registered voters voting.

There were 122 void votes.

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Edward Kaltamat, said just over 47 percent of the registered voters took part.

The Pentecost constituency seat was left vacant after the Supreme Court found former prime minister and Member of Parliament for Pentecost constituency Charlot Salwai guilty of perjury, early this year.

Among the candidates are former Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas whose conviction for perjury was recently pardoned by President Obed Moses Tallis clearing the way for Salwai to contest the by-election.

Salwai is contesting the seat which he held previously under the banner of the Reunification Movement Party.

His other party colleague contesting the same seat is Jean Pascal Saltukro.

There are four Independent candidates – George Baddley Bongiri, Francois Xavier Chani, Ham Lini Vanuaroroa and Saltukro Jean Batist.