The Commonwealth Election Commission is likely to spend $10,000 to charter a boat just to get nine votes from the Northern Islands for the Nov. 6 general election, according to CEC executive director Julita Villagomez. <\/p>\n
Villagomez said that last month they sent CEC election register clerk Ambrosio Joaquin Lisua to the Northern Islands to register voters.<\/p>\n
Villagomez said CEC did not spend money for the boat as Lisua was only hitching a ride as the vessel was chartered by the Northern Islands Mayor\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
She said Lisua was able to register two from Agrihan, two from Pagan, and five from Alamagan.<\/p>\n
Villagomez said as of this week, there are 176 total voters from the Northern Islands, including those nine. <\/p>\n
Most of the 176 are now staying on Saipan.<\/p>\n
The CEC executive director said before election day, they may charter a boat to the Northern Islands to bring the ballots for the nine voters.<\/p>\n
Villagomez disclosed that during the 2007 election or before that, they chartered a chopper for $15,000 just to bring the ballot from one voter from the Northern Islands. At that time, Villagomez was not the executive director. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to go to the Northern Islands even if there is only one voter,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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