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Candidacy filings by delegate bets to start
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Posted on Jul 02 2008
The Commonwealth Election Commission will accept candidacy filings for the Northern Marianas’ first ever delegate election starting Monday, July 7, 2008.
The nomination period will be open for a month’s period ending on Aug. 6, 2007.
The CNMI Legislature has yet to pass a law to “localize” the federal law, which granted the Northern Marianas a delegate seat in the U.S. Congress. But candidates for delegate are believed to be subject to the same requirements that previously applied to candidates for resident representative to the United States.
Under election law, nominating petitions for Washington representative must include signatures of at least 200 registered voters and a filing fee of $500. These requirements apply for both political party and independent nominations.
Those who have expressed their interest in running for delegate are Resident Rep. Pete A. Tenorio of the Republican Party, retired judge Juan T. Lizama, Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Gregorio Sablan, television talk show host John Oliver Gonzales, and businessman Patrick M. Calvo.
Sen. Luis Crisostimo has sought the endorsement of the Democratic Party. A primary is possible.
