Kilili to Torres: Provide accounting of $1.2M election funding

The U.S. Congress gave the CNMI $1.2 million to run the upcoming election in November and Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) wants a full accounting of it.

In a letter to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, Sablan noted the over a million funding provided to the Commonwealth to secure the elections, and for the Commonwealth Elections Commission to use to resolve possible barriers to voting given the pandemic—an amount much larger than the $300,000 the commission usually need to hold an election. The funding was allocated to the CNMI through the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December, and through the CARES Act in March.

“Because of the attention Congress is now giving to the conduct of elections and in the interest of accountability for public funds, I write to ask that you provide a full accounting of how the $1.2 million you have received has been spent,” Sablan said.

According to him, Congress intended the funds to be used to upgrade voting equipment, conduct election auditing activities, make online registration available, strengthen cybersecurity, better track campaign financing, and implement vote-by-mail for all voters. “Funds can also be used to increase voting sites to reduce crowding and keep in-person voters healthy,” said Sablan.

“With elections just three months away, it would be good to know that you have taken action to ensure that voters in the Marianas have these protections in place to secure the integrity of their ballots and to stay well,” the delegate added.

At a meeting with the CNMI House of Representatives last week, CEC stated that they are in the process of acquiring brand new machines for tabulation, through the Help America Vote Act, and that they intend to purchase personal protective equipment through the CARES Act money.

Last April, the governor asked the U.S. Election Assistance Commission for $600,000 from the CARES Act money that he said the CNMI will use to buy Personal Protective Equipment and thermal scanners, to disinfect the polling places, and for mailing and postage of the ballots, among others.

“The CEC will ensure that voting security and integrity remains paramount, but also, making sure that our voters and employees are safe and adhere to proper social distancing protocols and practice strict hygiene. …Again, as the CNMI and nation confronts this invisible virus, we need to take every extra pre-cautionary measure to mitigate and prevent its further spread and ill-effects,” Torres had said.

The CNMI will be voting in the 2020 general elections on Nov. 3, Tuesday. The last day to register to vote for this election is on Sept. 4, Friday. For more information on the election, visit https://www.votecnmi.gov.mp.