CEC certifies election results

The remaining 191 absentee ballots did not change the unofficial results of the Nov. 3 general elections, according to Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Julita A. Villagomez last night.

After the counting of absentee ballots at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe Tuesday night, the CEC board certified the tabulation results as official.

Villagomez said their meeting started at 2pm and CEC staff went to U.S. Postal Service office at 3pm to collect the remaining batch of absentee votes, but only found six envelopes for a total of six ballots.

Last Thursday, CEC got over 300 ballots from the post office.

CEC administrative officer Kayla Igitol said the total number of remaining absentee ballots was 358, but the board rejected 167 of them, either because they were past the postmark deadline or they did not enclose their affidavit.

The CEC started tabulating at 3:30pm and completed the process at 5:45pm. “There’s no problem. Everything went smoothly,” Igitol said.

Excluding the remaining absentee ballots, there was a total of 12,919 who voted at the Nov. 3 general elections and all ballots were counted.

CEC said that 1,668 absentee ballots were sent out and that they received 1,064. Villagomez earlier said they have not received 604 absentee ballots.

As of Oct. 7, there was a total of 18,519 registered voters in the CNMI. A total of 8,369 cast early votes in the Commonwealth.

Based on CEC’s official tabulation results, nine Democratic Party candidates prevailed, 10 Republican Party candidates won, and six independents prevailed.

Majority voted for the retention on the bench of Associate Justice Perry B. Inos, Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja, and Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo.

For Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, Ana Demapan Castro and Antonia Manibusan Tudela won as they are the only candidates for three seats.

For the Tinian and Aguiguan Municipal Council, the three who made it are Joseph Romaldo Evangelista Santos, Michal Nap King Aldan, and Thomasa Rita Palacios Mendiola.

For Rota Municipal Council, the winners are William Apatang Taitano, Jonovan Hocog Lizama, and Jim Michael Atalig.

For the Board of Education Saipan and Northern Islands, Maisie Bermudes Tenorio and Gregory Pat Borja won.

For BOE Rota, Herman Manglona Atalig was the only candidate.

BOE Tinian had no seats in this election.