Cook Islands by-election scheduled for next week

A political newcomer will be elected in the Cook Islands next week when two candidates contest the Ivirua by-election on August 17. Businessman Tony Armstrong is standing for the Democrats against the Cook Islands Party’s Orauamai Harry in one of the Cook’s smallest constituencies. Just 80 voters are registered in Ivirua. The chief electoral officer Taggy Tangimetua says only US$10,000 (FJ$20,000) has been budgeted for the by-election but he says it’s likely not all of that will be spent. Mr Tangimetua says each candidate has paid the Electoral Office a US$350 (FJ$700) deposit.