Inos, Hofschneider square off on Nov. 21

The Commonwealth Election Commission board certified on Friday the results of the gubernatorial and special elections and set for Nov. 21 the runoff race between Gov. Eloy S. Inos/Ralph DLG. Torres and Heinz Hofschneider/Ray N. Yumul.

CEC board vice chair Donald Hofschneider (Tinian) and members Juan E. Santos (Tinian), Trinidad L. Rabauliman (Saipan), Leilai I. Manglona (Rota), and Josepha B. Manglona (Rota) unanimously approved the results of Tuesday’s elections. Board chair Frances M. Sablan was not present.

Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Robert A. Guerrero reads the general and special election official results before CEC board members and Chief Prosecutor Brian Flaherty during Friday’s board meeting. The board certified the election results and set the gubernatorial runoff race for Nov. 21. (Ferdie de la Torre)

The runoff election will be held at the same designated polling places as the general elections and at the same time—from 7am to 7pm.

Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Robert A. Guerrero said the votes will be counted manually, like in the previous runoff election.

Guerrero said the seven-day early voting will start on Nov. 14.

With the CEC boards’ certification, it’s now official that Inos and Torres, the Republican Party standard-bearer, won with a margin of 1,841 over the independent tandem of Hofschneider-Yumul.

The Inos and Torres tandem garnered a total of 6,342 votes, while Hofschneider-Yumul got a total of 4,501. A total of 13,798 votes were cast in the general elections, or a 76.72 percent voter turnout.

The Inos-Torres machinery got 46.6 percent of the total votes cast, just about 4 percentage points less than the required 50 percent-plus-one rule that would have resulted in their team being declared the outright winner, preventing a runoff election.

Among those who attended Friday’s CEC board meeting were Tinian mayor-elect Joey Patrick San Nicolas (GOP), Tinian senator-elect Jude U. Hofschneider (GOP), incumbent and Tinian senator-elect Francisco Q. Cruz (GOP), and Tinian senator Frank Borja (Ind).

Based on the official election results, former presiding judge Edward Eladio Manibusan defeated attorney Michael N. Evangelista, with 3,887 votes for the position of the first elected attorney general.

For the delegate to the U.S. House, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Ind) won a fourth term with a landslide against Andrew S. Salas (Dem), 8,549-4,547 or a difference of 4,002 votes.

For two Saipan senatorial positions, former House Speaker Arnold I. Palacios (Rep) and former House Rep. Justo S. Quitugua (Ind) won.

For two Tinian senatorial positions, GOP’s Lt. Gov. Hofschneider and incumbent Sen. Francisco Cruz prevailed.

For Saipan mayor, independent David Mundo Apatang defeated his three opponents.

For Tinian mayor, former AG Joey Patrick San Nicolas (GOP) edged his closest rival, incumbent Mayor Ramon M. Dela Cruz (Ind) with mere seven votes, 703-696.

For Rota mayor, Efrain Manglona Atalig (GOP) defeated incumbent Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola (Ind) with 70 points, 797-227.

For Northern Islands mayor, Francisco Jerome K. Aldan (GOP), prevailed over Vicente C. Santos Jr. (Ind), 94-61.

In the Rota senatorial race, Rep. Teresita Apatang (GOP) and Steve K. Mesngon (GOP) won. Sen. Paul A. Manglona was 54 votes behind Mesngon.

For the six positions covering Precinct 1 for the House, former press secretary Angel A. Demapan (GOP) emerged as the highest top vote getter, 1,935. The five other winners are Edwin K. Propst (Ind), Joseph L.T. Guerrero (GOP), independent Rep. Roman C. Benavente (Ind), independent and House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, and independent Rep. Antonio P. Sablan.

For two House seats covering Precinct 2, Republican incumbents John Paul P. Sablan and Rafael S. Demapan won.

For six House positions covering Precinct 3, Rep. Edmund Joseph S. Villagomez (Ind) was the top vote getter among the 11 contenders. The other winners are Blas Jonathan T. Attao (Ind), Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind), Ramon A. Tebuteb (Ind), Anthony T. Benavente (Ind), and Rep. Felicidad T. Ogumoro (GOP).

For two House positions covering Precinct 4, Vinson Edward F. Sablan (Ind) and Rep. George N. Camacho (GOP) prevailed.

For the two positions covering House Precinct 5, Francis S. Taimanao (Ind) and Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (Ind) were victorious.

For one House seat for Tinian, independent Edwin P. Aldan was victorious over his lone rival, Charlene M. Lizama (GOP).

For one House seat for Rota, GOP’s Glenn L. Maratita defeated his lone opponent, Thomas Lee A. Manglona.

For three Saipan Municipal Council seats, Lareina C. Camacho was the top vote getter, followed by Antonia M. Tudela, and Alice S. Igitol.

For three Tinian Municipal Council seats, Diane H. Borja was the top vote getter, followed by Edwin M. Hofschneider, and Raynaldo M. Cing.

For three Rota Municipal Council seats, Ivan Mereb Jr. was the highest vote getter, followed by George O. Hocog, and Roman M. Calvo.

For Board of Education representing Saipan, Herman T. Guerrero ran unopposed.

For Board of Education representing Tinian, Florine M. Hofschneider defeated her lone opponent, Martin M. Sakisat.

For the Saipan Senate special election, Sixto K. Igisomar (GOP) won.

For retention on the bench, majority voted for the retention of Associate Justice John A. Manglona, Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja, and Kenneth L. Govendo.

Naraja got 10,437 “yes” votes and 2,506 “no” votes. Manglona received 10,057 “yes” votes and 2,781 “no” votes. Govendo got 9,428 “yes” votes and 3,441 “no” votes.

For the constitutional convention initiative, 7,859 voted “yes” and 4,046 voted “no.” For House Legislative Initiative 18-1, 5,195 voted “yes” and 4,518 voted “no.” For House Legislative Initiative 18-12, 8,082 votes “yes” and 4,060 voted “no.”