Youth Congress reorganization sought

Noting the low turnout of voters each election, Rep. Ralph Torres wants to reorganize the composition of the CNMI Youth Congress.

Torres has introduced House Bill 16-144 that proposes to move the election date of the Youth Congress in order to allow ample time for student registration and other necessities.

The lawmaker pointed out that pursuant to the law, the Youth Congress has, in addition to others, three senators each from Precincts 1 and 3, and the Northern Marianas College.

Torres noted that only two of three positions given to the NMI were filled during the 10th CNMI Youth Congress.

“Precincts in the election of the 10th CNMI Youth Congress continued its trend and registered a low turnout of 12 percent,” said Torres in the bill.

Public high schools on Saipan, he said, each have over 700 students, yet are represented by only one youth senator.

The congressman said Precincts 1 and 3 are allotted three seats regardless of the population of their constituents and registered voters.

Torres underscored the need to defer the election to a later date in order to accommodate new incoming students and to allow sufficient time for registration, to collect signatures on petitions, and other organizing obligations.

Torres said there is a need to ensure better representation to the youth by allocating seats to schools with larger enrollment and population and taking from the precincts that have shown modest constituents and registered voters.

Torres’ bill proposes to have one senator instead of three for Precinct 1; the same one senator in Precinct 2; one senator instead of three in Precinct 3; one senator in Precinct 4; one senator in Precinct 5; and one senator each for Tinian and Rota.

With respect to school representation, the legislation proposes that each private and public high school with a student population of 20 or more and want to participate shall have one senator.

For each participating private and public high school with more than 300 students, they shall have one additional senator for every 300 students over 300.

The bill also proposes to have one senator instead of three from NMC.

Torres said the general election for the Youth Congress should be held on the third Monday in October instead of September and each year thereafter.