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Early voting ends today, Monday
The seven-day early voting ends today, Monday, with 4,757 in the CNMI having already cast their votes as of Saturday, according to the Commonwealth Election Commission yesterday.
CEC executive directors Julita A. Villagomez and administrative officer Kayla Igitol consider the 4,757 a large turnout, considering the situation on Saipan and Tinian after Super Typhoon Yutu’s massive destruction.
From Nov. 6 to Nov. 10, a total of 4,152 voted at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe for Saipan and Northern Islands, while only 130 voted at the Department of Public Safety on Tinian, and 475 at the Northern Marianas College on Rota.
Villagomez expects a lot of voters to troop to the designated polling places today to beat the early voting deadline.
Igitol encouraged voters to avail of early voting if they need to, especially on Tinian, Rota, and the Northern Islands. Come election day on Tuesday, voters will have to report to their polling places to cast their vote.
“So far everything has been smooth,” Igitol said about the early voting.
Last Saturday, more persons voted on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, compared to the previous three days.
As of last Oct. 5, there were 18,975 voters in the CNMI.
Igitol also disclosed that a technician from the Nebraska-based Election Systems and Software arrived Saturday to make sure that all five tabulating machines are ready to go for Tuesday’s tabulation.
Igitol said some Guam election commission staff also arrived to assist them in preparing the tabulation machines.
Meanwhile, CEC election register clerk Robin Sablan said a chartered boat left Friday for the Northern Islands to get the 14 votes there, including one from a resident of Tanapag.
Sablan said the boat will return back to Saipan today, Monday.
The boat’s passengers are two CEC officers, one officer from the Department of Public Safety, one representative of the Office of the Public Auditor, and two poll workers.
