Torres to make appointments to CEC board
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres will be making a couple of appointments in the next few days to fill up the vacant positions at the Commonwealth Election Commission’s board.
In an interview on Tuesday, Torres said he will be working on both Saipan and Tinian appointments.
“I will be appointing actually a couple this week,” the governor said. He did not elaborate.
Last Feb. 16, Donald M. Hofschneider, of Tinian, resigned as CEC member and vice chairman pro tem, leaving CEC with only five commissioners.
CEC executive director Julita Villagomez earlier stated it is critical to have at least five commissioners because if one remaining member from Tinian will not show up at a board meeting, there will be no quorum.
The next election will be this Nov. 6.
Hofschneider’s third four-year term as commissioner representing Tinian and Aguiguan is supposedly to expire on Oct. 18, 2020.
The remaining commissioner representing Tinian and Aguiguan is Joseph E. Santos.
At present, commissioner Jesus Sablan, of Saipan, has been serving as CEC chairman pro tempore since Frances Sablan’s term expired last August.
Jesus Sablan’s four-year term, however, will expire on Oct. 27, 2018.
Patricia Mareham has joined as commissioner representing Carolinians of Saipan. There are still three vacant positions for Saipan and Northern Islands.
Rota has two commissioners: Leilanie Manglona and Esther Yatar.