On 19th May 2023, the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Are’Are constituency, Hon -Peter Kenilorea Jnr moved or raised this issue on the floor of parliament for formal discussion and debate.
He suggested that as part of Electoral Reform, the counting of ballot papers should be considered and conducted at all polling stations, just immediately after the voting is over or closed, and l as a registered voter am quite agree with him on what he suggested.
He said that, this is an important transparency measure to avoid election cheating and fraud. He added, it is much faster and reduces the notion of doubts and disagreement in election results from the voters in our constituencies after the polling day.
In the past two elections in 2019, and 2024 this issue raised more concerned in most of the constituencies in our country, people and voters are not happy and satisfied with the results of those two elections, the voters and supporters of the loosing candidates suspects and think that cheatings and foul play and election fraud was conducted during those two elections.
This is the perception and feelings that comes out from the minds of the people in most constituencies as well as East Are’Are constituency is not exceptional.
So, to avoid doubts and perceptions our people (voters) always have in their mind after every election, lets look and create a better system or ways that can be transparent and fair to every body’s feeling and satisfaction after every election results. Using of one ballot box too need to be carefully considered.
Lets also looked as well at cross border elections, this system may be good for white people, but not for Solomon Islands where corruptions is treated very high as rank number 73/180 in a global world corruption list, in which corruptions can be easily creep in through this system.
If it is not properly monitored and controlled during the polling day and transporting of ballot boxes to the counting centers, the problems may occur.
Some counting centers are too far from the polling stations. For instance in East Are Are constituency the voting took place on the 17th April 2024,the date in which the electoral commission officially declared for polling day, and the voting was closed at 5pm.
The ballot boxes were kept there at the polling station that whole night before it was transported to Auki on the 18th day of April for counting. Arriving there at Auki at 2pm in the afternoon.
However, counting was not eventually taking place that day. The ballot boxes were still kept there at A.P. S school that whole night before counting was actually took place on the next day 19th April 2024 at 9 am.
It took 40 Hours before counting took place.
This period of time was too long and anything unusual can happen if the ballot boxes are not well looked after as such people think and suspected that some foul play took place.
That’s because it takes too long before counting was conducted on the third day.
So to avoid this sorts of feelings and doubts from the minds of our people and voters during the time of elections I for one have agreed and supported the idea and the suggestion raised by the MP for East Are Are constituency that counting of ballot papers should be conducted at all polling stations and centers after voting is over.
That used to happen in the past election in the previous year. E.g,During the national general election in 1989,we did the counting at Masupa’a counting center in ward 20 in East Are Are constituency. During the1993 election we did the counting at Malu’u sub – station in north Malaita.
Nothing went wrong with those elections people (voters) were happy and satisfied with those results because it was done in their presence.
As such l think, and suggest that we need to go back to our old electoral system of voting, that each candidates should have his or her own ballot box, and this is the kind of system we get familiar with during the past elections in which l think it is much safer than this current system of using one ballot box during the time of election where some expert people (Candidates) can manipulate and play around with the system for their own gain and interest.
So, let’s get back to our old system of voting by using separate ballot boxes during the time of election despite the fact that there are lots of work to do during the time of election, however l thinks this is the system it is much safer for us Solomon Islanders to use during the time of election.
Further to this issue there’s also another concern raised by a group of researchers through their report on 28th April 2025.
In the Solomon Star issue No 9075, local News 3, Title; Growing Challenge Facing Elections; on that report in 2025, stated that Solomon Islands Elections has unveiled alarming trends regarding electoral trust, and fairness, signaling a critical juncture for the nation’s democracy.
This report came out of the event(election)held during the month of April 2024,at the S.I National University(SINU) marks a pivotal moment in enhancing the electoral frame work of the nation in collaboration with the Australia national University(ANU) and SINU analyzes the outcomes of both the national general elections we have in 2019,and 2024,as well as the elections for the provincial government, and Honiara city council which were jointly conducted on the 17th April 2024,for the first time in the history of Solomon Islands.
Hence, the issue’s raised by this group of researchers through their reports and findings is paramount important, and it must not be taking lightly, but it must be considered for the smooth running of the future elections in our country.
This is to avoid all sorts of controversial issues and disagreements our people more especially our voters and supporters always have in their minds after every election.
Thank You.
By Henry Kahui
Former Police Prosecutor Officer
