Are Tinian voters sticking with incumbents?

TINIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL—Voters on Saipan’s island neighbor seemed to be sticking with the current leadership with both incumbent members of the 19th Legislature likely to retain their respective seats. Based on uncertified and unofficial results Senate President Francisco M. Borja and Rep. Edwin P. Aldan were each leading against independent rivals Henry H. San Nicolas and Diana H. Borja.

Early voting and Election Day numbers—counted last Tuesday night—showed Borja enjoying to a 126-lead over San Nicolas, while Aldan is holding a 63-vote edge against Borja, the vice chairman of the 15th Tinian and Aguiguan Municipal Council. Borja and Aldan are running under the local GOP.

The tally, however, is still unofficial, with absentee votes to be counted in the coming days once they are mailed back to Saipan. The deadline and procedure for absentee ballots was extended after Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed House Bill 19-204, which was introduced by Rep. Felicidad T. Ogumoro (R-Saipan). HB 19-204 is now Public Law 19-70. PL 19-70 suspended 1 CMC 6213 where all absentee ballots must be received on or before Election Day, in this case on Nov. 8. PL 19-70 gave absentee voters enough time to mail back their ballots.

All absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the Commonwealth Election Commission no later than 14 calendar days after Nov. 8. The CEC, if using a post office box in receiving the absentee ballots, shall remove all absentee ballots for it to be deemed received within the deadline.

CEC has already received a total of 984 of the 1,700 absentee ballots and would start the counting on Nov. 22, Tuesday.

Economic activity

Economic activity on Tinian is currently at a standstill—except for the occasional Hot Pepper Festival and San Jose Fiesta—especially after Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino’s complete shutdown, badly hurting the island.

“It has been like that since the Dynasty closed down. We’re busy if there’s an event here or if the military is having a training exercise,” said one resident, who asked not to be named.

Tinian, however, is showing slow signs of recovery with Bridge Investment Group’s project at Kammer Beach almost done. They are also preparing to start the construction of one of two hotels they are going to develop.

Alter City Group also broke ground with its multi-billion dollar casino resort at Puntan Diablo, with construction set later this year.

Returning, first-time voters

David M. Evangelista has been away for more than five years on Tinian but chose to return in May this year to support Tinian’s leaders, starting with Mayor Joey Patrick San Nicolas. He said San Nicolas is one of the new generation of leaders that would help move Tinian forward.

“I was even an absentee voter in the mainland. There are a lot of opportunities in the States but I decided to come back to my home island to support Mayor Joey. He is a good role model to our youth and he could have worked in a law firm with a higher salary but he chose to stay and help Tinian,” said Evangelista. “We need leaders who are motivated and have vision for our island.”

For 19-year-old Justin Castro, finally becoming a part of the electoral process is his share of finding ways to improve Tinian’s condition. “It is the time for the youth to stand up and make choices that would shape our island.”

He voted GOP, adding that he made the right choice as he decided to go for experience. “I gave them my vote of confidence because they have the experience. We need actions, not only words.”

Challengers

Diana Borja, Deborah Fleming, and Philip Mendiola-Long all decided to run in the hopes of doing more for their island community. Borja is up against Aldan, while Fleming and Mendiola-Long are vying for one of the three Municipal Council seats.

“I have retired after being an educator for 22 years. But even when I’m a private citizen, people come to me and ask for help. That’s why I decided to run for a Municipal Council post,” said Borja, who is the vice chair of the 15th Council.

Fleming, a member of the Tinian Women’s Association, is a social activist but said that she could do a lot more for Tinian as a council member. TWA is one of the groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. military for its plans of building a firing range on Pagan.

“I think I will be more effective if there are people like me inside the system. Leaders who would change and get things done,” said Fleming.

Mendiola-Long is the chief executive officer of Bridge Investment Group, one of Tinian’s major investors. “I want to address local issues. I’m not here for the position, being a member of the council is somewhat voluntary. You don’t get paid.”

Smooth process

According to CEC commissioner Donald Hofschneider, Tinian has a total of 1,690 registered voters made up of local residents, those who are on Saipan, off-island students, and the military. They are also waiting for around 400 absentee ballots.

He added that voting this time was much faster and went smoothly compared to previous elections where long lines almost reached the Tinian Elementary School gate. “You have to wait either under the hot sun or the pouring rain. That’s why an umbrella was a must, back then.”

“It is much faster this time because a lot of people availed of the early voting,” added Hofschneider, who supervised the elections with fellow commissioner Joseph Santos with representatives from the Office of the Attorney General observing the proceedings.