Siosaia Moehau requests recount [1]
Tuesday, November 30, 2010 - 11:43. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
CANDIDATE Siosaia Moehau who was four votes behind the winner of the Tongatapu 6 seat in the November 25 election has requested a recount of his ballot with the Electoral Commission in Nuku'alofa.
Siosaia, a local businessman of Hofoa, led in the first round of results for Tongatapu with 719 votes, while Siosifa Tu'utafaiva a lawyer from Ha'akame had 716 votes.
However, when the Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki read out the overall results after polling stations results came in from Vava'u, Ha'apai, 'Eua and the two Niuas, Siosifa won with 735 votes and Saia was close behind with 731 votes.
Pita Vuki told Matangi Tonga Online on November 29, that he had requested for all ballot boxes from all outer islands to be brought to Nuku'alofa for the recount of the candidate's ballot. He said the recount should be completed and announced before the end of the week.
A candidate requesting a recount must pay a fee of $1,000 upon requesting a recount and the Supervisor will count the votes and announce the result and his decision is final.
The only other requirement to be fulfilled by candidates is lodging their statement of expenses with the Supervisor of Elections within 14 days from the election. The expenses limits the sum spent by candidates on their campaign to $10,000.
Writ
Pita said the process now for the Electoral Commission is to prepare for the return of the writ to the king no later than December 9, 2010, advising him on the result of the election in each constituency.
The next process from December 9 would be that of parliament with the nomination of the new members of government, he said.