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Big turnout seen in Palau polls on Saipan
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Posted on Nov 01 2008
The chairman of the Palau Election Commission flew to Saipan to personally supervise the conduct absentee voting among Palauan voters here in the CNMI.
Comelec chair Santos Borja, who came with some of his staff from Palau, said he expects a big turnout of voters during yesterday’s election day at Building E of Marianas High School.
Borja estimates that there are about 400 registered voters among the over 1,000 Palauans living in the CNMI.
He said that about 120 have already cast their votes as of 11:30am yesterday—about 30 percent of the total registered voters.
Similar pre-election exercise was done for Palauan absentee voters in Guam and Hawaii yesterday.
The actual election day will be on Tuesday, Nov. 4, in Palau, simultaneous with the U.S. presidential elections.
As early as 6am, supporters of the two tandems vying for the highest and second highest post in Palau were already gathered at the gates and pathways leading to MHS.
Among those who put up a booth was first lady Debbie Remengesau, who is campaigning for outgoing President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., who is seeking a seat in the 13-member Senate.
The first lady said her husband is in Guam to woo voters.
Just a few meters away from the polling place, Vice Presidential candidate Alan Seid camped out with his supporters.
Seid is running under the ticket of presidential hopeful Camsek Elias Chin, who is the current Vice President.
Two nights ago, the tandem of Johnson Toribiong and Kerai Mariur, who are candidates for President and Vice President, held a rally at the Garapan Fishing Base.
There are a total of 43 candidates vying for the Senate.
Palauans will also vote for a total of 23 proposed amendments to the Palau Constitution.
The CNMI Department of Public Safety deployed four police officers to MHS—two at the gate to ensure the safety of those who are entering the premises and two near the polling area.
DPS Commissioner Santiago F. Tudela was seen overseeing the security of the polls.
Sgt. Joe Saures said the election went smoothly.
