Election law fix is needed for Saipan senator special election
Senate President Ralph Torres (R-Saipan) said yesterday that he will officially notify Gov. Eloy S. Inos today of a vacancy in the Senate following floor leader Ray Yumul’s resignation but either the governor waits longer to declare a special election or the election law will have to be amended to ensure it coincides with the Nov. 4 general elections for cost and logistics considerations.
If and when the governor immediately proclaims a special election, that would fall on a date much earlier than Nov. 4.
But Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Robert A. Guerrero recommended that both the special election and the general election be held on the same day on Nov. 4, considering that each election costs some $70,000 to $80,000.
But just the same, Sen. Pete Reyes (Ind-Saipan) mulls introducing a bill that will prohibit those who have already been certified as candidates for the two Saipan senatorial seat to run for a special election related to the third Saipan senatorial seat that Yumul vacated.
Currently, there is nothing in the law that prohibits any of the seven candidates for the two Saipan senatorial seats from submitting their candidacy also for the third seat once the governor proclaims a special election, Reyes said yesterday.
“What if the same individual wins on both general election and special election? The law has to be amended,” Reyes said.
Yumul resigned almost a week after his candidacy for lieutenant governor was certified on August 13.
Article 8 Section 5 of the NMI Constitution reads, “Resignation from Public Office. An elected public official shall resign from office upon certification to be a candidate for another public office, if the term of the office sought begins before the end of the term of the office held.”
Election Commission’s Guerrero said the governor could also wait until early September to proclaim a special election, to ensure it coincides with the Nov. 4 general elections.
Under Public Law 12-18, “Special elections subject to the call of the Governor shall be held on a date set by the Governor which shall be no less than 30 days nor more than 60 days from the date of the proclamation provided for in Section 6502. The Governor shall also set the time limit within which polling places may be designated and declarations of candidates and nominating petitions may be filed.”
The other option is to amend the law to extend the 60-day period so that a special election could be held also on Nov. 4.
The CNMI is actually headed for three elections this year—the general election and a special election to fill the Senate vacancy left by Yumul, and a likely gubernatorial runoff race, given that it would be hard to get at least 50 percent plus one of the votes cast among four gubernatorial teams.
Today, the Senate will hold a session mainly to tackle the fiscal year 2015 budget bill that the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee has been working on for weeks. Yesterday, the committee worked way past office hours to ensure the budget bill will be acted on in today’s session.
After a week of hallucination Ray Yumul finally resigned. He was debating whether to continue thumbing his nose over the constitution and disrespecting the people but no way to run. Ai ai Jolly Bee!
As some trying to defend this guys inaction in resigning and also trying to say he was thinking about his staff as they would be jobless. Others stated he was looking for jobs for his staff. I say Bull!!
He had many months to attempt to find jobs for his staff as he knew he was going to run and also he knew there was no question about his candidacy being confirmed.
This guy was just trying to “game” the system again as he did when he was deployed.
If no one said nothing he would have stayed and collected his paycheck and not resigned. Seems he was attempting to keep his job in case they lose so he has something to fall back on. Seems he may not have much faith in their chances.
NOW he is the ne that did major damage to their candidacy.
Personally don’t like the guy, a bully. Publicly he’s doomed to fail. Irresponsible.
Wow, more work for the CNMI Vote of Election Office. We can’t wait for the runoff bill for the CNMI Attorney General, so our government can spend more money, because money is no object.
Good luck Former- Senator Yumul, remember if there is an action there will be a reaction. Remember your power trip at the legislature, where you refused to reply to my comments, because I am not worthy of your time. Well, we assure you that we are campaigning against you. We don’t encourage people we know whom to vote for the governor and lt. governor, but we discouraged them from voting you.