OUR REALITY: PNG Has Less Than a Year to Fix Its Election Problems

With less than a year before Papua New Guinea enters the formal lead-up to the 2027 National General Election, attention is once again turning to the country’s electoral system and whether the lessons of 2022 have been learned.

The last election was marred by widespread complaints about missing names on the Common Roll, logistical failures, delayed polling, security concerns and confusion at polling stations. For many Papua New Guineans, confidence in the electoral process was shaken long before the first ballot was cast.

The challenge facing election authorities today is not simply preparing for another election. It is restoring trust in the system itself.

The first and most urgent issue is the Common Roll.

Thousands of eligible voters discovered in 2022 that their names were missing from voter lists despite having participated in previous elections. Others found duplicate entries, incorrect details or were assigned to polling locations far from where they lived. Unless the roll is comprehensively updated and verified well before polling begins, the same frustrations will almost certainly be repeated.

The second challenge is funding.

The Electoral Commission has indicated that hundreds of millions of kina will be required to conduct the election properly. Election planning cannot begin six months before polling. Ballot papers, training, transport contracts, voter awareness campaigns and polling logistics all require years of preparation. Delays in funding inevitably become delays in implementation.

Security remains another major concern.

While most Papua New Guineans participate peacefully in elections, several parts of the country continue to experience election-related violence, intimidation and the destruction of property. Security planning must begin early and involve police, defence personnel, provincial administrations and community leaders. Elections are not only an administrative exercise; they are also a law and order challenge.

Technology may provide some solutions, but only if introduced carefully.

Government plans to introduce biometric voter identification and electronic verification systems have the potential to reduce fraud and improve voter confidence. However, introducing new technology without adequate testing, training and infrastructure could create new problems rather than solve old ones. The focus should remain on reliability rather than innovation for its own sake.

Another critical weakness is voter awareness.

Many Papua New Guineans still have limited access to information about electoral processes, voting rights and candidate selection. In remote areas especially, misinformation often fills the vacuum left by limited civic education. Effective voter awareness campaigns must begin well before election year and be delivered in languages and formats that local communities understand.

Perhaps the most important lesson from previous elections is that success on polling day depends on work completed years earlier.

The 2027 election will be a significant test for Papua New Guinea’s democratic institutions. The country has time to address the shortcomings identified in previous polls, but that window is narrowing.

Fixing the Common Roll, securing adequate funding, strengthening security planning, improving voter awareness and carefully implementing reforms are not optional tasks. They are essential foundations of a credible election.

The real question is not whether Papua New Guinea can hold an election in 2027. It is whether the country can deliver one that voters trust.