Don Polye (right) on the PNG election trail Photo: Supplied/ Wanpis Ako After Polye narrowly lost his Kandep seat in PNG's 2017 election, he challenged his rival Alfred Manase's victory on the basis of irregularities during the vote count process. A number of ballot boxes from wards where support was usually strong for Polye were excluded from the vote count. A court-ordered recount of the election, including the ballot boxes that were earlier discounted, was conducted amid tight security in Eastern Highlands earlier this year. Polye scored 22,237 votes to 21,033 for Manase, the candidate for the People's National Congress party of former prime minister Peter O'Neill.