By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist
More than 400 candidates have put their hands up to contest the Bougainville general election in September, hoping to enter Parliament.
Incumbent President Ishmael Toroama is among the 404 people lining up to win a seat.
Bougainville is involved in the process of achieving independence from Papua New Guinea — an issue expected to dominate campaigning, which lasts until the beginning of September.
Voting is scheduled to start on September 2, finishing a week later, depending on the weather.
Seven candidates — all men — are contesting the Bougainville presidency. This number is down from when 25 people stood, including two women.
Toroama is seeking a second term and is being challenged by his former colleague in the leadership of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), Sam Kauona.
Kauona is one of several contesting a second time, along with Thomas Raivet and a former holder of the Bougainville Regional Seat in the PNG Parliament, Joe Lera.
There are 46 seats to be decided, including six new constituencies.
Two seats will have 21 candidates: the northern seat of Peit and the Ex-Combatants constituency.
Several other constituencies — Haku, Tsitalato, Taonita Tinputz, Taonita Teop, Rau, and Kokoda — also have high numbers of candidates.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
