Inos-Torres a sure winner

With a commanding 1,599 lead, the “Solutions-Driven” tandem of Republican standard-bearer Gov. Eloy S. Inos- Ralph DLG Torres is a sure winner over the independent Heinz Hofschneider-Ray N. Yumul team during Friday’s gubernatorial runoff race, based on the unofficial results of the Commonwealth Election Commission.

As there are only about 2,000-plus absentee ballots still to be counted on Dec. 5, it is now statistically improbable for Hofschneider-Yumul to overtake Inos-Torres’ big lead. In the last Nov. 4 general elections, there were 2,280 absentee ballots and Inos-Torres easily defeated Hofschneider-Yumul, 1,186-649.

CEC’s unofficial results show that in the runoff race, Inos-Torres garnered a total of 6,547 votes, while Hofschneider-Yumul got 4,948—a 1,599 difference.

Inos-Torres won almost all precincts on Saipan and prevailed on Rota and Tinian, as well as on early voting and partial unofficial results of absentee voting. Hofschneider-Yumul only won in San Jose/Oleai, Garapan, and San Roque.

In the last general elections, Hofschneider won only in two precincts—San Roque and Tinian.

Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Robert A. Guerrero announced the first unofficial results Friday for Election District 2 (Chalan Kanoa/Susupe areas) at 9:30pm at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

The result triggered rejoining in the camp of Inos-Torres and stunned Hofschneider-Yumul’s party as the former easily took a big 991 lead—3,195 to 2,204.

Inos-Torres got 235 votes from Chalan Kanoa/Susupe, while Hofschneider-Yumul obtained 201. Hofschneider-Yumul won in San Jose/Oleai by getting 173 votes, while Inos-Torres got 158.

Early voting on Saipan, however, gave Inos-Torres swing votes of 2,802. Hofschneider-Yumul received only 1,830 votes.

Guerrero’s second announcement of results momentarily silenced the Inos-Torres camp as Hofschneider-Yumul obtained 599 votes while Inos-Torres got only 582—a 17-vote difference.

In San Antonio, Inos-Torres won, 193-149. But in Garapan, which was hotly contested in the last general elections, Hofschneider-Yumul prevailed, 450-389. In the general elections, Inos-Torres edged Hofschneider-Yumul by a mere 3 votes.

Inos-Torres, however, immediately bounced back when the results for San Vicente and Koblerville came out. Inos-Torres won both precincts, 471-402 in San Vicente and 269-196 in Koblerville. By this time, Inos-Torres’ lead breached the 1,000 mark, at 1,115 votes.

Inos-Torres’ further widened the lead when the tandem prevailed in Tanapag, 176-166, and in vote-rich Kagman, 473-423.

Inos-Torres’ lead ballooned to 1,333 after obtaining a total of 691 votes, while Hofschneider-Yumul got only 533 votes from San Roque, Capital Hill, Tinian, and Rota.

Hofschneider-Yumul easily won in San Roque, their known bailiwick, 200-122. But Inos-Torres prevailed in Capital Hill, 90-77, and got the Tinian votes, 195-179.

Rota, a known bailiwick of Inos, gave a sweep vote for Inos-Torres, 284-77.

The results for early voting on Tinian and Rota, votes from the Northern Islands, and absentee ballots sealed Inos-Torres’ sure victory when the team won all, 690-424.

For early voting on Tinian, Inos-Torres got 145, while Hofschneider-Yumul garnered 138. For early voting on Rota, Inos-Torres received 216, while Hofschneider-Yumul got 165. For Northern Islands, Inos-Torres obtained 6 votes, while Hofsneider-Yumul got zero votes. For absentee ballots, Inos-Torres easily won, 323-121.

With the commanding 1,599 lead, Inos-Torres’ camp located next to X.O. Market on Middle Road began the celebration until early morning Saturday. Gov. Inos dropped by the camp for a few minutes as supporters were celebrating.

CEC executive director Guerrero announced that tabulation of absentee ballots will be on Dec. 5.

CEC was done with the tabulation and announcement of results at 11:20pm, which was faster than the last runoff election in 2009.

In an interview, Ralph Torres thanked their supporters and all the voters for exercising their right to vote.

“I would like to thank God, the Almighty, for giving us this opportunity to represent our people for the next four years,” said Torres, who was still with his brothers Joaquin and Victorino Torres and some relatives and friends at their camp past 1am Saturday.

Torres said the results were humbling but at the same time, they need to make sure that they “protect the people of the CNMI and generations to come.”

CEC executive director Guerrero said he and the staff feel good and relieved that the elections are almost over. He said they have been working the last month basically on a Monday-to-Monday schedule.

Guerrero said they won’t certify the unofficial results until the absentee ballots are all counted on Dec. 5.

CEC started sorting the ballots at 7:15pm, then started counting shortly after.

Guerrero said the first announcement of results came at 9:30pm because they counted first the biggest bloc—early voting on Saipan—that alone had over 4,000 votes.

“The commission wants to get the big precincts out of the way and get results of the votes as quick as possible,” he said.

Police Sgt. Anthony Macaranas said the runoff election was peaceful and orderly as people complied with the officers’ instructions not to be out on the highways.

Macaranas said most of the complaints were about waving that got out of hand so they sent officers there to control it.

Polling places opened at 7am and closed at 7pm. Many people voted by the opening hours, and between 4pm to 6pm.

At 8:50am, there was no line at Dandan School polling place.

Former House speaker Oscar C. Rasa and his wife were among the early morning voters at Dandan Middle School.

Like many voters, Rasa also opposed having a runoff election. “I prefer a simple majority,” said Rasa, adding that runoff is a burden not only to the government for incurring additional expenses, but also to the people.

Even Ralph Torres commented that this runoff is a burden to the people. He said he is concerned for the bedridden and elderly.

But Larry Cabrera, also an early voter at Dandan School, supports the runoff process. He said it costs the government “a little bit” but it is something that is necessary. Cabrera said a governor needs to have more than 50 percent support of the populace.

In the vicinity of all polling places on Saipan, Inos-Torres noticeably had more supporters waving to motorists and voters.