Qualified residents may vote in US presidential polls

Residents of the CNMI who are citizens of the United States and previously resided in the United States may be eligible to cast votes for the upcoming presidential race in November.

According to the CNMI Election Commission, residents who were registered voters in any state or the District of Columbia may be eligible to vote via absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which is designed to allow U.S. citizens abroad to participate in federal election.

Individuals, however, must meet several requirements, which may vary depending on which state the individual would vote from.

“If you live outside the U.S., but at one time in your life you had a connection to another part of the U.S. then you can get federal overseas ballot,” said Adam Turner, Special Assistant to the Governor during yesterday’s Saipan Rotary Club meeting at the Hyatt.

Turner has been designated to assist interested parties in getting into contact with local election officials in the mainland as well as assisting with attaining ballots.

“I can’t do anything else. Once you get that ballot it’s up to you. I can’t make any guarantees of how we relate to the local officials in each of the states. There are 50 states and each has a different standard. The state where you registered will make final determination of you’re eligibility to vote in the U.S. It is not the CNMI Commission’s decision,” he said.

He said UOCAVA was originally designed for military personnel; however, because the CNMI does not conduct federal elections, residents may be qualified to cast votes under that law.

“It is something that we got because we’re the only place that doesn’t have any federal elections. It was created mainly for military and other personnel,” he said.

Further, Turner said there is still time to make a request for an absentee ballot; however, it is very short.

“Most states, you have to have your absentee ballots requested in 30 days before the election,” he said.

“The state where you registered will make the final determination on you’re eligibility to vote in the United States, not CNMI Commission,” he said.

Meanwhile, Assistant AG James Livingston disclosed that taxes—state and federal—would not affect overseas voters.

“The overseas voter act is very specific. It says for federal, state municipal taxes…it will not affect your residency at all to vote as an oversea voter.”

Turner may be contacted at 664-2209 for further clarifications.