Elections in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea: 2021 Community Government Elections
On Monday, Nov. 22, Bougainville voters will have the opportunity to vote for community government leaders. This follows a deferral from Oct. 18 due to delays in electoral materials delivery.
This is the second community government (CG) election held in Bougainville’s 441 wards since the CG Act was passed in 2016. The establishment of the CG is the latest step in the evolution of local government in Bougainville. Each ward has a 50/50 gender quota in its representation, with two elected members: one man and one woman. There are 47 CGs in Bougainville, each comprised of several wards. The members from each ward elect a Chair and Deputy Chair for the CG. The CG Act states that men and women will alternate positions as Chair and Deputy Chair each election. In the 2017 and 2018 CG elections, 45 out of the 47 CG elected Chairs were male. Therefore, the second CG elections in accordance with the CG Act will allow electing 45 female CG Chairs out of the 47 CGs. This level of women’s representation in elected office is unprecedented in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands region.
To help you understand this important electoral process, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Elections in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea: 2021 Community Government Elections. IFES FAQs include:
- What is the level of women's representation?
- What is the government and electoral system?
- How is the election management body protecting the elections and voters from COVID-19?
Learn more about IFES' programs in Papua New Guinea and follow @IFESAsiaPacific on Twitter.
Additionally, follow IFES' COVID-19 Survival Guide for Democracies and #COVIDxDemocracy for new analysis and innovative solutions.
Published on November 17, 2021.
