The reelection for post of Punakha’s Goenshari gup yesterday ended with Kinley Dorji winning by 16 votes over his opponent Kinley Wangchuk. The candidates were caught in a deadlock situation in the recent local government elections securing 85 votes each.
In the tiebreaker election yesterday, Kinley Dorji, 36, from Zhelngoesa chiwog secured 157 votes. Kinley Dorji said he was delighted with the result. “I’m thankful to people for having faith in me,” the father of three said. “And it will, no doubt, be a huge responsibility.”
The voter turn out, however, was lower than the previous election during which 323 of the 382 registered voters cast their votes. This time, although it wasn’t paddy transplantation time, only 282 voters turned out.
Twenty one postal ballots were sent of which 15 returned. Two were invalid, according to election officials on duty.
However, the percentage was high at 78 percent. “This could be because of the small population in Goenshari.” said an election official.
Meanwhile the voters expect the candidate elected to serve the community with dedication.
“Although these local leaders may not benefit elderly people like me, their winning or losing will make a difference to my children,” a 73-year-old woman said. “This encouraged me to come and vote again.”
Another elderly voter Pema Buthri, 64, walked two hours to cast her vote at the Kapatapsa Primary School polling station. She was one of the voters who had walked this far for the second time to choose the right gup.
“It was our responsibility to vote for the right leader, no matter how long we had to walk,” the mother of seven said. “My old age can’t obstruct me from voting.”
According to election officials the reelection concluded without any complication and none of the voters were rejected or turned away without getting a chance to vote.
Full Article: The 16-vote tiebreaker – Kuensel Online.