‘3K eligible voters yet to register’

Some 3,000 eligible voters in the CNMI have yet to register to vote in the Nov. 5 general election, according to the Commonwealth Election Commission.

CEC executive director Gregorio Sablan said the commission’s voter database shows that there are over 4,500 individuals who had registered to vote in the past, but did not cast ballots in the last two elections.

Sablan estimated that 1,000 of these eligible voters have relocated outside the Northern Marianas, while some 200 other have been convicted of felony.

“That still leaves us with over 3,000 CNMI residents who are otherwise eligible to vote, but simply need to re-register to be able to participate in the upcoming election,” said Sablan.

He urged these voters to register before the Sept. 16 deadline. Each vote counts, he stressed, recalling instances in previous elections where candidates lost by very slim margins such as less than 10 votes.

Sablan also reported that 13,081 voters have registered as of last Friday, July 22.

The registered voters from Saipan and the Northern Islands currently number 10,610.

The biggest number of voters came from the first election district, with 5,172 voters. The first district includes San Antonio, San Vicente, Koblerville, Kagman, and Northern Marianas College.

The second election district, which includes Chalan Kanoa and Susupe, has 849 voters. The third district, covering San Jose, Garapan and the Northern Islands, has 2,575 voters.

There are 2,014 registered voters from Tanapag, San Roque, and Capitol Hill, the villages comprising the fourth election district.

Tinian has 956 voters while Rota has 1,301 voters.

Individuals eligible to vote are those who are 18 years of age or older on Nov. 5, 2005; are domiciled in the Commonwealth; have resided in the Commonwealth for 120 days before the day of the election; are not serving a sentence for a felony conviction; have not been declared by a court to be judicially insane; and are either a citizen or national of the United States as defined in the CNMI Constitution.