Sept. 16 is last day for voter registration

Registration of eligible voters is continuing for the 2005 regular general election, with the last day for voter registration on Sept. 16, 2005.

Any person qualified to vote may register during government workdays from 7:30am to 4:30pm at the Commonwealth Election Commission’s offices at 1313 Anatahan Drive, Capitol Hill, Saipan. During the last week of voter registration— Sept. 12-16, 2005—the Commission will conduct voter registration at its Capitol Hill offices from 7:30am to 6pm.

Eligible voters residing in Rota may register with Miranda V. Manglona or Henry S. Atalig. Tinian residents may register with Jose P. Kiyoshi or Mary B. Diaz. Residents of the islands north of Saipan may contact the Commission via the government radios maintained at EMO.

Voter registration is also conducted from 9am to 3pm on Saturdays at PriceCostco in Oleai, Saipan. The last day for the PriceCostco voter registration is Saturday, Sept. 10, 2005.

Eligible voters who are outside the Commonwealth may go to www.votecnmi.gov.mp to download the required registration forms. Eligible voters who are homebound and require assistance in registering to vote may contact the Commission to arrange for a home visit.

A person is eligible to vote who, on Nov. 5, 2005, is 18 years of age or older, is domiciled in the Commonwealth, has resided in the Commonwealth for 120 days prior to the day of the election, is not serving a sentence for a felony conviction, has not been declared by a court to be judicially insane, and is either a citizen or national of the United States as defined in the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution.

Previously registered voters who failed to vote in the 2001 and 2003 regular general elections must re-register in order to be eligible to vote in the 2005 regular general election.

There are 13,886 registered voters as of Sept. 5, 2005. However, the Commission’s voter database shows that besides first time registrants, there may be some 3,000 individuals residing in the NMI who may otherwise be eligible to vote but simply need to re-register to be able to vote this Nov. 5.

Anyone requiring voter registration information may call the Commission’s offices at 664-VOTE or by sending electronic mail to cec@saipan.com, cec@vzpacifica.net or info@votecnmi.gov.mp. (PR)