Previous Story
Charter change eyed to avoid yearly elections
|
Posted on May 13 2008
Elected officials may have their terms cut or extended by one year if the Commonwealth is to avoid the cost of having an election every year.
The first election for a Northern Marianas delegate will take place this year, and every even-numbered year after that. Local elections are conducted every odd-numbered year.
Gregorio Sablan, executive director at the Commonwealth Election Commission, said yesterday that having yearly elections is not completely unusual in the United States, as some jurisdictions do it.
However, it could be expensive for the cash-strapped government, which has to pay for conducting the elections for the existing CNMI positions and the new U.S. post. Sablan estimates this November’s election to cost $50,000.
House Speaker Arnold Palacios said yesterday that lawmakers are looking at how best to solve the problem.
“We can’t go through an election every year. A law must be passed to make an adjustment somewhere,” Palacios said.
Sablan said a constitutional amendment is necessary to make the local elections coincide with the U.S. elections. “I think it’s the best way. It’s easier to amend our Constitution than the U.S. Constitution,” he said.
The CNMI Constitution can be amended by a constitutional convention, or through a legislative or a popular initiative. Each process requires placing the proposal on the ballot for voter ratification.
The election for the delegate position will take place on Nov. 4, 2008. But the electoral process begins in less than two months. The Election Commission will accept nominating petitions and candidacy documents from July 7 to August 6.
The new CNMI delegate will assume office on Jan. 12, 2009.
