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Huge number of voters on third day of early voting
A much larger number of voters turned up yesterday during the third day of the seven-day early voting period, with 804 who cast their votes on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
“It’s a huge number,” Commonwealth Election Commission administrative officer Kayla Igitol told Saipan Tribune.
As this developed, Saipan Tribune learned that CEC administrative hearing officer George Lloyd Hasselback began hearing yesterday 20 cases of “dual voters.”
Hasselback and CEC legal counsel and assistant attorney general Michael Witry are expected to continue hearing of other cases today, Friday.
Witry is also involved in the hearing, Saipan Tribune learned.
Igitol said that on Saipan, 549 from Saipan and the Northern Islands voted, 45 from Tinian, and 20 from Rota, for a total of 614 voters.
Igitol said that on Tinian there were 45 voters, while there were 20 on Rota.
Compared to the first two days where there was no long line at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe, there was a long line yesterday at certain times. Voting, however, still went smoothly.
Igitol said not only were there a lot of voters but also CEC was short of manpower.
Igitol said only seven staffers were at the Multi-Purpose Center because one staff was assisting Hasselback and Witry at the hearing for “dual voters.”
At 1:30pm, Saipan Tribune observed a long line at the Multi-Purpose Center.
Jen Taisakan, 34, said that early voting is much better.
“It’s very fast,” said Taisakan who is a voter for the Northern Islands and among the early voters on Saipan.
Tricia Cabrera, 42, said it’s her second time to try early voting.
During the first day of the early voting on Tuesday, 581 trooped to designated polling places on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. On Wednesday, the second day, there was a big turnout as 623 cast their votes on the three islands.
