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Democratic Party recognized as political organization in CNMI
The Commonwealth Election Commission yesterday recognized the Democratic Party as a political party organization in the CNMI.
At a CEC meeting held at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, acting CEC executive director Julita A. Sablan informed the commissioners that the Democratic Party submitted two days before the deadline the necessary documents to be recognized as political party in the Commonwealth.
CEC chair Frances M. Sablan, in an interview, said the Democratic Party did not have candidates for every position in the previous elections, including in 2012.
Sablan said this is the reason why the Democratic Party had to reorganize again and turn in their documents to prove they did organize for this Nov. 8 election.
The chair said the Democratic Party submitted their documentation on Monday last week or two days before the deadline.
“So they are in compliance. They just took a little longer to submit all the necessary documents,” she said.
For the next 2018 election, Sablan pointed out, the Democratic Party needs to again go through the process because they were not able to submit candidates for all seats for this Nov. 8 election.
“They have been told that they would need to go through the process again,” Sablan said.
For this Nov. 8 election, the Democratic Party only has three candidates—Thomas Lee Atalig Manglona for Senate on Rota, Aaron Jay Murdock for the House Precinct 4 seat, and Tricia Marie Atalig Manglona for House Precinct 7 (Rota) seat.
The Democratic Party held a general membership meeting at the Garapan Central Park last July 8, where they elected the Central Executive Committee members as mandated by party bylaws.
Seventeen of the 24 individuals were nominated, accepted, and recognized as official members of the Central Executive Committee, the governing body of the Democratic Party of the NMI Inc.
Elected as CEC officers were Daniel O. Quitugua as chairman, attorney Janet King as vice chairman, Jonathan P Cabrera as secretary, and Emiliana Chargualaf as treasurer.
