Peter wins by landslide

Marco Taisakan Peter and his family pose for a photo Sunday midnight, shortly after the Commonwealth Election Commission certified as accurate its tabulation of ballots for the special election. Peter of the Republican Party won by landslide votes in a four-way race for a seat in the House of the Representatives Precinct 3. (Ferdie de la Torre)

Marco Taisakan Peter of the Republican Party received 863 out of a grand total of 1,737 votes—or 49.68 percent of all votes cast—for a landslide victory in a four-way race for Precinct 3’s vacant seat in the House of Representatives.

At 11:49pm Saturday, the Commonwealth Election Commission board of commissioners, led by chair Jesus I. Sablan, certified as true and accurate the results of the tabulation of ballots that they did manually at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

It was the first special election in CNMI history in which only voters from one precinct were given another opportunity after a general election to cast their votes.

It was a festive GOP gathering near the old Japanese jail in Garapan, where Peter, his family, many government officials, and supporters waited for the election results.

In an interview, Peter said he is ready to work.

Peter said it’s been a long 90 days and that he is thankful to his family and his committee-to-elect for all the hard work they have done.

“I thank the community for entrusting, putting their faith on me, and thank GOP for allowing me to represent them in this journey that we are about to get on right now,” he said.

Asked about his priorities as a lawmaker, Peter said the CNMI is still working on recovery due to Super Typhoon Yutu’s devastation so he will focus on that.

He said local businesses need support right now and that he is looking forward to helping them on how to supplement their income and get them started.

Peter, a businessman, said people can’t just depend on the government or their own salary. They can find different ways to earn an extra income by going into business.

Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, who, along with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres visited the GOP gathering, said “in victory we are humbled.”

Palacios said Peter is “a very honorable individual and a good candidate.”

He said the Torres administration looks forward to working with Peter in the Legislature.

Former representative Donald Cabrera Barcinas of the Democratic Party came second with 447 votes. Independents David Castro Sablan and Mariano Deleon Guerrero Fajardo received total votes of 233 and 194, respectively.

Out of 3,356 registered voters, 1,761 cast their votes or 52.47 percent. Out of 1,761 votes cast, 1,737 were determined as “good votes.”

CEC chair Sablan said this was the first time in the CNMI that they did a special election for only one precinct.

“I guess we did pretty good,” said Sablan shortly after the board certified the results and adjourned.

Sablan said he is not aware of any major problem encountered during the special election.

As for the election turnout, the chairman said he does not know the exact percentage but he knows it’s pretty low, just like during midterm elections.

On the Democratic Party’s early concern as to why it’s manually counted, Sablan said anybody can question that but that the commissioners have a reason for doing that.

He said if some people want to find the reason, CEC has that on their minutes, when they discussed it during their meeting.

“It’s basically the timeframe, that’s the basic problem. If you wait and we ordered the ballots off-island and it won’t be here on time, it won’t be able to accommodate the absentee voters,” Sablan pointed out.

Peter won a huge margin from all areas in Garapan and San Jose/Oleai—437 in early voting, 34 in absentee voting, and 392 on election day.

Barcinas received 221 in early voting, 11 in absentee voting, and 215 on election day.

Sablan got 88 in early voting, 6 in absentee voting, and 139 on election day.

Fajardo received 91 in early voting, 10 in absentee voting, and 93 on election day.

The polling places at the Garapan and Oleai elementary schools opened at 7am and closed at 7pm.

Darlene Macaranas, who voted in Garapan, said the voting was very easy and the process was smooth.

Macaranas said she did not mind voting again during the special election as it’s the people’s right to vote.

A 23-year-old woman accompanied her mother to the polling place at Garapan Elementary School.

The woman, who requested anonymity, said she voted last Friday, the last day of the seven-day early voting because she was on night shift and had time to vote on that day.

She, however, observed that the early voting and the voting on election day were fast and orderly.

She said she had no problem voting again after the general election.

“It’s for family,” the woman said.

The GOP, the Democratic Party, and independent candidate Fajardo and his supporters put up tents in the back area of Garapan Elementary School, near the designated polling venue.

Independent candidate Sablan and his supporters had their tent near the former bowling center that leads to the road going to the back of Garapan Elementary School. Peter’s supporters had motorcades around Garapan and Oleai elementary schools.

CEC executive director Julita Villagomez said they sent a total of 79 absentee ballots and 76 went back to CEC, and 61 were “good ballots.”

CED administrative officer Kayla Igitol first announced the results of the tabulation of absentee ballots at 9:15pm. At 11:30pm, she announced the grand total votes.

The board then re-convened and certified the results at 11:49pm. They board adjourned at 11:57pm.

The special election was held following the death of representative Francisco D. Dela Cruz last January.