Posted By Staff Reporter
DESPITE the many awareness conducted on the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system, many still do not understand how it works. We can go all day through a loud hailer talking about the system but if the public do not fully understand it, then it is a concern. We have written about the LPV; however, it still is not clear to the ordinary people on the streets. The General Election 2022 process is now into 29 days of the campaign period, with 20 remaining before polling starts on July 2, and this is the time for voters to decide who gets the 1, 2 and 3. Prior to LPV, PNG was using the old system of “old majority voting” also known as the “First-Past-the-Post” where the voter puts a cross on a ballot paper next to their favoured candidate and the candidate with the most votes in the constituency wins.
That system had been used since independence until the General Election 2002 where Papua New Guineans have been electing their leaders to represent them in the Parliament and it was easy. The Parliament then amended the Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections to provide for the introduction of LPV in national election. In LPV, the voter is given an option to choose three candidates among the names on the ballot paper by placing the number “1” as the first preference, indicates the second preference with number “2” and the number “3” for the third candidate. The winning candidate must get 50 per cent + 1 of the formal votes cast in the electorate. Understanding how the counting rules will also assist in understanding how a winner is determined and help you cast your vote wisely. In the LPV system, there are two parts to counting votes. The primary count is the first part. This refers to the first preference vote or vote one that is counted first. At the end of the primary count, they must determine if a candidate has received 50 per cent plus one of the first preference votes to be declared the winner. If a candidate does not secure the 50 per cent plus one formal votes, then they go into the second part of the counting. This is the elimination part where the candidate with the lowest number votes must be eliminated; and the votes that he or she received will be redistributed to the remaining candidates according to the second and third preference votes. After the first elimination and the redistribution of the votes of the excluded candidate, they will then determine if the redistributed votes have given a candidate 50 per cent plus one of the formal votes. If not, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is again eliminated and his or her votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates according to the second and third preferences. This process continues until a winner is found and they say under this system a winner is always found. However, some votes will run out of preferences, and these are called exhausted votes. As more candidates are eliminated the chances increase for more exhausted votes. And as more votes become exhausted the “live” formal votes remaining decrease. Understanding how the LPV counting works brings to light a number of things. Firstly, we understand the importance of first preference vote. In order for a candidate to stay in the running, they need the first preference votes as it is the primary vote. All in all, second and third preference votes are as important as the first preference votes. First preference votes get you in the running and second and third preference votes determine your win. Much has been said about educating voters to be better informed about the voting system but the question of whether they really understand still remains. With the low literacy rate, awareness on LPV must be conducted with a mock exercise involving the people, only then they will really grasp how the LPV system works. Note: Let Your Views be heard : Send all your Political Commentaries to us through our email : pngfacts@gmail.com Share this
2 Comments
Andrew Bengo
5/7/2022 06:26:03 pm
The LVP system is good for voting
Reply
Judith
31/7/2022 06:47:38 pm
Thank you, This explanation has really cleared my confusing on the LPV system and the Elimination process
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
PNG Politics WatchPNG Political analysis, Gossips ,Commentaries, news and ViewsPapua New Guinea Politics, news and commentaries . Send us your PNG Political view to us for publication on this page . Contact us |