By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

Hokkons Baules is leading by some 500 votes from his closest opponent Koror Sate Legislator Paul Ueki during the special election for the vacancy in the Senate last Wednesday May 9, unofficial results from the Election Commission showed.
The Election Commission finished counting the votes at around 4:30 p.m.; yesterday with Baules, who was a member of the 2005 Second Constitutional Convention representing the State of Koror, garnering a total of 2,408 while Ueki was running second with 1,488.
Former Vice President Sandra Pierantozzi was in third spot with 1,446 and former House of Delegates Legal Counsel Imelda Nakamura lagged behind in fourth place with 600.
The special election was held to fill the vacant seat left by late Senate President Johnny Reklai, who died last March due to a fishing accident in Ngarchelong waters.
A total of 5,984 have cast their votes out of the 10.696 total registered voters.
Baules dominated the race that he emerged on top in 35 out of the 46 areas and could still manage to get considerable numbers on most of the 11 areas that the other candidates were able to lead.
These 11 areas included Iyebukel (26), Meketii (40), Dngeronger (31), Ngerkebesang (31), Ngetkib (29), Aimeliik Central (27), Aimeliik Proper (15), Sonsorol Central Central (4), Sonsorol Proper (1), Tobi Central (9) and Tobi Proper (1).
Baules earned most of his votes from Ngerbeched (138), Peleliu Proper (118), Ngaraard Central (108), Ngerchemai (90), Ngaraard Proper (90) and Meyuns (89).
He also topped in Ngermid (54), Ngerkesoal (53), Idid (72), Ikelau (33), Madalaii (56), Kayangel Central (67), Kayangel Proper (34), Ngerchelong Central (88), Ngerchelong Proper (57), Ngiwal Central (57), Ngiwal Proper (75), Melekeok Central (50), Melekeok Proper (49), Ngechesar Central (39) and Ngechesar Proper (62).
Except for one in Ngetkib, Baules led in the other four hamlets in Airai. These were Ngchesechang (70), Ordomel (78), Ngerusar (68) and Ngeruluobel (33).
The other areas the Baules managed to land on top were in Ngardmau Central (38), Ngardmau Proper (58), Ngaremlengui Central (32), Ngaremlengui Proper (371), Ngatpang Central (37), Ngatpang Proper (34), Peleliu Central (59), Angaur Central (42) and Angaur Proper (55).
To complete the runaway win, Baules got 40 from out of the total 94 absentee votes compared to Pirantozzi’s 24, Ueki’s 20 and Nakamura’s 10.
Ueki and Pirantozzi had the same numer of votes earned in Iyebukel with 32 each while Nakamura had 7.
Nakamura topped the votes in Meketii (40), Dngeronger (34), Ngetkib (44) and Sonsorol Central (21).
Ueki led in Ngerkebesang (44), Aimeliik Central (60) and Aimeliik Proper (44).
The two areas that Nakamura was able to dominate were in Sonsorol Proper with 12 out of the 16 who cast their votes and 14 out of the 39 in Tobi Central.