CEC charters boat instead of using DPS vessel to get 8 votes from NI

The Commonwealth Election Commission has chartered a boat instead of using a Department of Public Safety rescue vessel to fetch eight votes from the Northern Islands for the runoff election today, Friday.

CEC executive director Kayla S. Igitol disclosed yesterday that she went with chartering a commercial boat for the comfort of the people who will be on the vessel.

With a DPS boat, passengers would not be able to rest as they will be getting wet constantly because of the huge waves, she said.

She said the chartered boat left Saipan Wednesday at 8am and will be back here Friday evening.

The passengers are one representative from the Office of Public Auditor, one CEC staff, two DPS police officers, one poll worker each for the Republican Party and for the Democratic Party-unified independent team.

It costs CEC an estimated $20,000 to charter a boat just to get four votes from Alamagan and four votes from Agrihan.

At the Nov. 8 general elections, CEC also chartered a boat to get the eight votes from the Northern Islands.