Voter registration prior to the Western and Choiseul provincial elections this year will open on June 3 and elections likely to take place in September.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Mr Stanley Pirione made the announcement today as Ministry officials work closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Attorney General’s Chambers to Gazette necessary legal instruments to enable the process.

"Voter registration in Choiseul and Western provinces will begin on 3 June 2013, but will be shorter than normal. Despite setbacks regarding financing for voter registration, the MPGIS is committed to ensuring that all those eligible to vote in the 2013 provincial elections have the opportunity to participate in the elections,” Mr Pirione said.

In order to accommodate voter registration, the initial election dates for Choiseul and Western provinces have now been postponed. The date of the election will be confirmed next week but it is likely to be 16 September 2013. The MPGIS will be releasing more information shortly about the exact timeframes for voter registration and the election process.