The Electoral Commission said absentee votes, which will be counted after the 8th of November, will decide the outcome of the national election. But the Election Service Administrator Elenita Bennie Brel said the final result will not be announced until later this month. Elenita Bennie Brel said this is partly due to electoral provisions but is also because the absentee ballots will be sorted and counted manually in-front of representatives of the candidates.
“We want to make this election very fair and transparent for everyone who has concern and wants to come in. So after November 8 the counting of the absentee ballots and then it takes another 15 days for the board [of the electoral commission] to certify them,” she said.
Figures supplied by Native ex-pat radio show that as of Wednesday night, Mr Remengesau had collected 4108 votes just 78 more than Surangel Whipps Junior.
Full Article: Slim lead for incumbent in Palau election – Absentee votes to decide result | Radio New Zealand News.