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Gonzales leads names on ballot, Atalig last
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Posted on Aug 27 2008
Television talk show John Oliver Gonzales will be placed number one on the ballot, while Saipan Municipal Council member Felipe Atalig, the last to file his candidacy, will also take the last slot in the placement of names.
Gonzales was not around when his name was picked up during yesterday’s drawing for the slots held at the Commonwealth Election Commission on Capital Hill.
Election Commission acting executive director Julita Villagomez, who drew for Gonzales, picked the number one slot. Gonzales is off-island.
Aside from Gonzales, those who failed to attend the drawing were Atalig, Sen. Luis Crisostimo, and Vietnam War veteran John Davis. Crisostimo and Davis, however, sent their respective representatives.
The other candidates who personally participated in the drawing were Resident Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, former senator David Cing, retired judge Juan T. Lizama, businessman Chong Won, and former Election Commission executive director Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan.
Based on the results, Won will be number 2; Cing, number 3; Lizama, number 4; Tenorio, number 5; Crisostimo, number 6; Davis, number 7; Sablan, number 8; and Atalig, number 9.
Acting executive director Villagomez told Saipan Tribune that the candidates, who came with some of their supporters and committee officials, arrived on time at the 9am scheduled drawing.
Villagomez said there was a power outage at the time but the raffle went smoothly and was done in 10 minutes.
Villagomez reminded people that voter registration is still ongoing. Deadline for registration at the Election Commission is Sept. 15 at 4:30pm.
The Election Commission, through registrar Frank Camacho, has also been conducting registrations at Price Costco every Saturday since June 2008. The deadline at Price Costco is on Sept. 13 at 3pm.
Election Commission records show that as of Aug. 1, 2008, there were 9,916 registered voters on Saipan; 1,104 on Tinian; and 1,347 on Rota, or for a total of 12,367.
During last November 2007 election, there were close to 15,000 registered voters in the CNMI.
