General Information
At Stake in this Election:
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The Presidency and Vice-Presidency of Bougainville
Government Structure:
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Chief of State: President Ishmael TOROAMA (since 29 Sep 2020)
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Head of Government: President Ishmael TOROAMA (since 29 Sep 2020)
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Assembly: unicameral Legislature with a 46 seat House of Representatives.
Electoral System:
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The President is directly elected by plurality vote for a once renewable 5-year term.
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38 members of the House of Representatives are directly elected in single seat constituencies. 3 members are women directly elected in single seat constituencies. 3 members are former combatants directly elected single seat constituencies. The remaining 2 seats are held for the President and the Speaker of the House. All directly elected members are elected by plurality vote to a 5-year term.
In 2019, Bougainville voters approved an independence referendum, with 98.3% of voters supporting the measure. Bougainville President TOROAMA has set 2027 as the deadline for ratification by the Papua New Guinea government.
Key Deadlines:
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Candidate filing deadline: 10 Jul 2025
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Voter registration deadline: 30 Aug 2025
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Ishmael TOROAMA
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Bougainville People's Alliance Party
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Joe Robert LERA
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New Bougainville Party
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Nick PENIAI
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New Bougainville Party
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Louis SMIT
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Independent
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Thomas Boe RAIVET
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Bougainville United Front Party
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Sam KAUONA
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Independent
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Wilfred HIGEI
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Independent
Population and Registered Voters:
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Population: 249,358 (2011)
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Registered Voters: 238,625 (2025)
Gender Data:
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Female Population: Not available.
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CEDAW Status: Not applicable.
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Gender Quota: Yes, 3 seats in the House of Representatives are reserved for women.
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Human Development Index (HDI) Position: Not available.
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Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Not available.
Disability Data:
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CRPD Status: Not applicable.
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Projected population with a disability: 39,897 (2011 est.)
IFES Resources:
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Election FAQ: Yes