Fantastic Four

A total of 105 candidates have filed their intent to run for office in the Nov. 5, 2005 general elections, as the deadline for submission of petitions for candidacy ended yesterday afternoon.

As of 4:30pm yesterday, the Commonwealth Election Commission has received petitions from four gubernatorial tickets: incumbents Juan N. Babauta and Diego T. Benavente of the Republican Party, Benigno R. Fitial and Timothy P. Villagomez of the Covenant Party, Froilan C. Tenorio and Antonio A. Santos of the Democratic Party, and independent candidates Heinz S. Hofschneider and David M. Apatang.

The Republican Party has the biggest slate with 29 candidates, missing only one candidate for representative in the 2nd election district and another in the 3rd election district.

The Covenant Party follows closely with 27 candidates. Covenant needs one candidate for the 3rd senatorial district and a candidate for representative each for the 1st, 3rd, and 4th election districts to make a full slate.

The Democratic Party has 13 candidates. There are 13 individuals running as independent candidates and 23 nonpartisans seeking office either on the Board of Education or any of the three municipal councils.

The list of candidates featured a mixture of “old” and “new” timers, as well as re-electionists and comeback candidates.

Although most of the parties chose veteran politicians to be their standard bearers, opportunities were given to newcomers such as Edward Salas, Rose Ada-Hocog, and Jacinta M. Kaipat.

A number of incumbent officials are seeking re-election and they include Washington Rep. Pedro A. Tenorio, Reps. Paterno Hocog, Benjamin Seman, Diego Songao, Martin Ada, Joseph Deleon Guerrero, Arnold Palacios, Ramon Tebuteb, Norman Palacios, Claudio Norita, Oscar Babauta, Joseph Mendiola, Crispin Ogo, Justo Quitugua, and Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela.

After a two-year break from elected office, former Reps. Andrew Salas and Stanley Torres are back in the race, running under the Republican Party and as independent candidate, respectively.

Those who switched parties include Rep. Janet U. Maratita, who won under the Covenant Party last election, but who is seeking another term under the Republican Party, and Mayor Borja, from Democratic Party to Covenant Party.

Sen. Pete Reyes, a former Republican, is now running as an independent. So is Rep. Ray Yumul, a former Covenant Party member. Yumul, who is currently serving in Iraq as an active member of the U.S. Army, is prohibited by military policy from affiliating himself with any political organization.

At 10am tomorrow, election commissioners will meet to certify the nominations of the 105 candidates. At 5pm of the same day, the Election Commission will draw the names of candidates to determine their position on the ballot.

Candidates who work full-time for the CNMI government must take a leave of absence from their position immediately after certification of their candidacy. Such candidates should continue on leave status until they are no longer candidates for public office.

“All government employees should plan to begin to take annual leave or be on leave without pay status the day after the date they are certified as candidates for the 2005 general election. Depending on when the commission certifies the candidates, leave status could begin on Aug. 10 or 11, 2005,” said CEC executive director Gregorio Sablan.

In related news, a total of 13,276 voters have registered with the Election Commission as of yesterday.

The biggest number of voters came from the first election district, with 5,264 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 855 voters. The third district, covering San Jose, Garapan and the Northern Islands, has 2,621 voters.

There are 2,033 registered voters from Tanapag, San Roque, and Capitol Hill, the villages comprising the fourth election district.

Tinian has 1,111 voters while Rota has 1,392 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.

The deadline for voter registration is on Sept. 16, 2005.