Election board certifies 99 candidates

The Commonwealth Election Commission’s board certified at 9:57am yesterday all 99 candidates for 44 positions, as well as approved the ballot layout, for the CNMI’s Nov. 4 general elections. Nobody among the candidates was disqualified.

Commonwealth Election Commission acting chair Donald M. Hofschneider, center, of Tinian, presides over a meeting yesterday morning wherein the commissioners certified all 99 candidates for the Nov. 4 general elections. From left, commissioners Juan E. Santos of Tinian, Jesus I. Sablan of Saipan, commission executive director Robert A. Guerrero, Hofschneider, Josepha Barcinas of Rota, Trinidad L. Rabauliman of Saipan and Leilani Manglona of Rota. (Haidee V. Eugenio)

The 99 candidates for 44 posts do not include the one justice and two judges that are up for retention.

Previously, the Election Commission announced 98 candidates but clarified yesterday that it’s 99.

Election board acting chair Donald M. Hofschneider of Tinian presided over the board meeting yesterday, as chair Frances M. Sablan was off island for a family emergency.

Besides Hofschneider, the other election board members who voted to adopt Resolution 14-001 to certify the candidates were Jesus I. Sablan of Saipan, Josepha A. Barcinas of Rota, Juan E. Santos of Tinian, Trinidad L. Rabauliman of Saipan, and Leilani Manglona of Rota.

The board also approved the ballot layout and adopted election commission regulations.

Special election

Election commission executive director Robert A. Guerrero told the board that all the names of the 99 candidates were verified and they all met the candidacy requirements.

Guerrero also told the commissioners that should Gov. Eloy S. Inos proclaim a special election, he recommends that it be held on the same day as the Nov. 4 general elections to save costs.

Each elections costs $70,000 to $80,000.

Guerrero was referring to a special election for a third Saipan senatorial seat.

That seat is occupied by Senate floor leader Ray Yumul (Ind-Saipan), now a certified candidate for lieutenant governor. Yumul is the running mate of independent gubernatorial candidate Heinz S. Hofschneider.

Article 8 Section 5 of the NMI Constitution reads, “Resignation from Public Office. An elected public official shall resign from office upon certification to be a candidate for another public office, if the term of the office sought begins before the end of the term of the office held.”

Guerrero told the commissioners that should there be any development, he will inform them accordingly.

The Senate has to inform the governor of a vacancy, and the governor would have to call for a special election since it is still less than half of the term.

Senate President Ralph Torres (R-Saipan) confirmed that as of close of business yesterday, his office has not received any resignation letter from Yumul. Torres is also a lieutenant governor candidate, with Gov. Eloy S. Inos as his running mate under the Republican Party.

Sen. Pete Reyes (Ind-Saipan), for his part, said the next step is for Yumul “to do the right thing.”

Yumul could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Besides the general election and an expected special election, the CNMI is also headed for a gubernatorial runoff election if no one among four gubernatorial teams gets at least 50 percent plus 1 of the votes cast during the general elections on Nov. 4.

Guam registration drive

Guerrero also announced yesterday that there will be a CNMI voter registration drive in Guam on Aug. 21, 22, and 23.

Two election commission staffers and one commissioner, Juan E. Santos of Tinian, will lead the Guam registration drive.

The 99 candidates

The certified candidates are as follows:

• For governor/lieutenant governor position: Gov. Eloy S. Inos and Senate President Ralph DLG. Torres (R-Saipan) of the Republican Party; former governor Juan N. Babauta and former senator Juan S. Torres as independent s; former Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Edward “Tofila” M. Deleon Guerrero and former representative Daniel O. Quitugua of the Democratic Party; and former House speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider and Senate floor leader Ray N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan) as independent s.
• For CNMI delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives: Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) and former Commerce secretary Andrew Salas, of the CNMI Democratic Party.
• For CNMI attorney general: Retired Superior Court associate judge Edward E. Manibusan and attorney Michael Evangelista.
• For Northern Islands mayor: Francisco Jerome K. Aldan of the Republican Party and Vicente C. Santos Jr., an independent .
• For Rota mayor: Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola, an independent , and Efraim M. Atalig, a Republican.
• For Saipan mayor: Independent Ramon “RB” Camacho, Republican Jose “Kapira” A. Reyes, Democrat Antonio P. Mareham, and independent David M. Apatang.
• For Tinian mayor: Republican and former attorney general Joey Patrick San Nicolas, Democrat and former senator David M. Cing, and independent Mayor Ramon “Ray” M. Dela Cruz.
• For two Rota Senate seats: independent Tom Glenn A. Quitugua, Rep. Teresita A. Santos (R-Rota), Republican Steve K. Mesngon, Sen. Jovita Taimanao (Ind-Rota) and Sen. Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota).
• For two Saipan Senate seats: GOP’s Oscar M. Babauta, GOP’s Arnold I. Palacios, former representative Justo S. Quitugua, Rep. Janet Maratita (Ind-Saipan), Democrat Jesus I. Taisague, independent Illuminada R. Bermudes, and independent attorney Stephen “Steve” Woodruff.
• For two Tinian Senate seats: Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider under the GOP, Sen. Frank Q. Cruz (R-Tinian), Sen. Joaquin “Jack” Borja (Ind-Tinian) and Rep. Trenton Conner (Ind-Tinian).
• For three Rota Municipal Council seats: Roman M. Calvo, Joseph M. Ogo, Michael B. Manglona, Juan A. Barcinas, George O. Hocog and Ivan Mereb Jr.
• For three Saipan Municipal Council seats: Lareina C. Camacho, Alice S. Igitol, Isidoro T. Cabrera and Antonia M. Tudela.
• For three Tinian Municipal Council seats: Edwin M. Hofschneider, Diana H. Borja, Raynaldo M. Cing, Antonio SN. Borja, Fritz M. San Nicolas and Estevan P. Cabrera.
• For a Board of Education-Saipan seat: BOE chair Herman “Pan” T. Guerrero.
• For a Board of Education-Tinian seat: Florine M. Hofschneider and Martin M. Sakisat.
• For six House of Representatives seats in Precinct 1: Rep. Richard Seman (R-Saipan), Gregorio M. Sablan Jr. of GOP, Joseph “Leepan” T. Guerrero of GOP, press secretary Angel Demapan of GOP, Rep. Mario Taitano (Ind-Saipan), independent Benjamin M. Cepeda, Rep. Roman C. Benavente (Ind-Saipan), Democrat Frankie F. Angel, Democrat Vincent G. Cabrera, Democrat Nelson A. Rios, independent Rose Nelly T. Ada-Hocog, Democrat Calistro I. Reyes, independent Edwin Kenneth Propst, House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Antonio P. Sablan (Ind-Saipan), independent Joseph A. Flores, and independent John M. Pialur.
• For two House seats in Precinct 2: independent Vicente A. Ichihara, Rep. John Paul P. Sablan now of GOP, House floor leader Ralph Demapan now of GOP, and Democrat Bruce Jarrett M. Iglesias.
• For six House seats in Precinct 3: GOP’s Maryann A. Borja-Arriola, Rep. Felicidad Ogumoro (R-Saipan), GOP’s Susana B. Deleon Guerrero, GOP’s Stanley E. Torres, GOP’s Vicente C. Camacho, House vice speaker Frank Dela Cruz (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Ray A. Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Anthony T. Benavente (Ind-Saipan), independent Blas Jonathan “BJ” Attao, Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan), and Rep. Edmund Villagomez, now an independent .
• For two House seats in Precinct 4: independent Vinson Edward F. Sablan, Rep. George N. Camacho (R-Saipan), Independent Diego L. Kaipat and Rep. Christopher D. Leon Guerrero, now an Independent .
• For two House seats in Precinct 5: Rep. Antonio R. Agulto now of GOP, Francisco C. Aguon of GOP, independent Francis S. Taimanao, Rep. Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) and independent Jose S. Demapan.
• For one House seat in Precinct 6 or Tinian: GOP’s Charlene M. Lizama and independent Edwin P. Aldan.
• For one House seat in Precinct 7 or Rota: GOP’s Glen L. Maratita and independent Thomas Lee A. Manglona.