17th of April 2024 for Joint Elections

The 2024 Joint Elections is now set for the 17th of April following the proclamation of the election date by the Acting Governor General Hon. Patteson John Oti yesterday.

Following the declaration, signing of legal instruments was conducted by the caretaker Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Rollen Seleso and caretaker Minister for Home Affairs Christopher Laore to also declare 17th April as the date for the provincial and Honiara City Council ( HCC) elections.

The declaration of the election date also marks the commencement of the campaign period, and the nomination of candidates which starts today.

As confirmed by the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission in a talkback show last week, the nomination centers for respective parliamentary, provincial assembly and HCC candidates are as follows:

Honiara City Council – Multi-Purpose Hall
Guadalcanal Province- Henderson Court
Isabel Province- Provincial Chamber
Makira/ Ulawa Province- FM Campbell School
Malaita Province- Hotel Malaita
Rennell and Bellona Province- Provincial Office
Temotu Province- Provincial Chamber
Western Province- Women Resource Centre, Gizo.

The final day for nomination is the 6th of March 2024.

On campaigning, the campaign period for Parliamentary, Provincial Assembly and HCC elections is the same which starts from the announcement of the election date to 24 hours before the polling day.

Campaign activities includes the publication of statements for the promotion and advertisement of a candidate or party, displaying the name of candidate or party and the distribution of promotional items reflecting certain candidates or parties.

Chief Electoral Office, Jasper Anisi made further clarifications on this during a press conference yesterday.

” The only illegal time to campaign is the 24 hours before election day. If you conduct campaign activities during that time it will be a criminal offence under the electoral act.

” Any other time apart from that is legal, and we operate by the law so the only time that is illegal is the 24 hours prior to the election day,” said Anisi.

SIBC News understands, the campaign expense limit for a candidate contesting the Parliamentary Election is $500,000 while for provincial assembly and Honiara City elections is $50,000.

ENDS//