Absentee voting for deployed troops ensured

The Commonwealth Election Commission has moved to ensure that troops scheduled for deployment this month will not be disenfranchised during next year’s general election.

CEC executive director Gregorio C. Sablan announced yesterday that Capt. Franklin Babauta has approved the Election Commission’s request to conduct a briefing for the troops. Babauta is company commander of Echo Company, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, under which the local soldiers belong.

Sablan said the briefing is slated for 9am, Monday, at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Puerto Rico, Saipan.

CEC staff will brief the troops on the timelines, procedures and requirements for voting by absentee ballot for the Nov. 5, 2005, election.

Sablan added that troop members who need to register or re-register to vote in Commonwealth elections can do so at the briefing.

The NMI election law requires the commission to remove the name of a registered voter from the election register if that person did not vote in the preceding general election. Thus, all registered voters who failed to vote in the 2003 general election must re-register to be eligible to vote in the 2005 election.

Sablan, however, reminded the troops who wish to register or re-register to bring at least one of the documents necessary to determine their U.S. citizenship or national status.

The accepted documents include a current U.S. passport, a birth certificate, a naturalization certificate, or a certificate of citizenship. Commissioned officers could use their military identification card as evidence of their U.S. citizenship.

“We are doing this as a service to our soldiers, knowing that they may not be here for the next election. As CNMI residents, they are all entitled to vote,” Sablan said in an interview.

Absentee voting will be held simultaneously with the elections in the CNMI. Absentee ballots must reach the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa at 12pm on Nov. 19, 2005.

Offices that are up for election in 2005 include governor and lieutenant governor, senators, representatives, mayors, and municipal council members.

As of Aug. 4, 2004, there were 11,610 registered voters in the CNMI. The biggest number of voters come from the first election district, with 4,482 voters. District No. 1 covers San Antonio, San Vicente, Koblerville, Kagman, and Northern Marianas College.

The second election district, which includes Chalan Kanoa and Susupe, posted 771 voters. The third district, covering San Jose, Garapan and the Northern Islands, has 2,272 voters.

There are 1,828 registered voters from Tanapag, San Roque, and Capitol Hill, which compose the fourth district. Tinian has 956 voters while Rota has 1,301 voters.

The voter registration period for the 2005 general election will end on Sept. 16, 2005.