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TO REVERSE RULING ON ARTICLE 12 INITIATIVE
CEC, officials appeal to 9th Circuit
The Commonwealth Election Commission and its officials are appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to reverse the federal court’s recent ruling on the Article 12 initiative matter.
The commission, CEC chair Frances M. Sablan, and CEC executive director Robert A. Guerrero, through assistant attorney general Charles Brasington, are appealing to reverse U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona’s decision issued last May 20.
Brasington notified the federal court yesterday about their appeal to the Ninth Circuit.
In that landmark decision, Manglona ruled that qualified voters who are not of Northern Marianas descents must have the opportunity to vote on the Article 12 initiative and any other initiative to amend Article 12.
Article 12 restricts the acquisition of permanent and long-term interests in real property to persons of Northern Marianas descent.
Manglona issued a summary judgment that favored John H. Davis Jr. in his lawsuit.
Davis, a registered voter in the CNMI and a non-NMD, sued CEC and its officials in his desire to vote on any initiative to amend Article 12.
