PNG’s Local-level Government Elections: Causes of the Delays

Abstract

Papua New Guinea is due to return to the polls in 2025 — this time for Local-level Government (LLG) elections. Or at least, this is the ambition. Writs for the election were issued on 24 April. This was against the advice of the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNGEC), which requested a delay for a range of operational reasons. Instead of a delay, a very long campaign period was announced, with polling scheduled to begin on 12 July. Serious procurement and organisational issues identified by the PNGEC would have to be addressed after the issue of writs. This carried risks: all PNG elections are complex, they rarely run smoothly, and LLG elections are in some ways the most complex. There are 6,916 wards in 374 LLGs. Each ward is a separate electoral race, with a total of over 30,000 candidates. In 164 LLGs, the president is elected on the floor of the assembly by the ward members, while in others, there are direct elections and hence different counting procedures and ballot requirements. For 2025, the PNGEC also has to carry out five national by-elections alongside the LLG elections, as well as elections for the 17-member Motu-Koita Assembly (MKA), further complicating preparations. Show more