The day of reckoning arrives

A total of 15,118 voters will head to the polls today to elect a governor for the next four years.

Fourteen polling places throughout the Commonwealth will open at 7am and close at 7pm. A ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages will be in effect during the period.

Aside from governor and lieutenant governor, voters will also pick a resident representative to the United States and two senators each for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

For the House of Representatives, there are 16 positions available on Saipan including six in Precinct 1, two in Precinct 2, six in Precinct 3, and two in Precinct 4. Voters will choose one representative each for Tinian and Rota.

Four mayors and nine Municipal Council members, as well as two Board of Education members, will also be elected.

The ballot seeks a “yes” or “no” answer to the questions on the retention of Chief Justice Miguel Sablan Demapan, Associate Justice Alexandro Cruz Castro, and Associate Judge David Arthur Wiseman.

Voters will also decide whether or not a Constitution Convention should be held.

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 has 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 is fielding 13 candidates.

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

A total of 15,118 voters have registered with the Commonwealth Election Commission as of Oct. 28, 2005.

The biggest number of voters came from the first election district, with 6123 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 952 voters.

The third district, covering San Jose, Garapan and the Northern Islands, has 3039 voters.

There are 2259 registered voters from Tanapag, San Roque, and Capitol Hill, the villages comprising the fourth election district.

Tinian has 1,214 voters while Rota has 1,531 voters.