(Press Release) — CNMI Youth Congress Secretary/Coordinator Luis John DLG Castro said over a thousand students flocked to the polls at their respective schools to participate in the biennial CNMI Youth Congress elections which were held on April 7, 8 and 15.
He said of 2,134 registered student voters, over 73% of cast their ballots for their desired candidate.
The 18th Youth Congress election went off without many hiccups as most schools had a smooth process from check-in to casting their ballots.
Acting Legislative Bureau Director Perry J. Tenorio stated that the reason for that was consistent communication between both the bureau and the school principals, allowing them to adapt the process to their students’ benefit.
Tenorio said, “At the start of the planning, we knew that it would be a different election than in years’ past, so with the Youth Congress office and each of the high school principals, there was an active dialogue to ensure that no major problems would arise either with registration, logistics and with conducting the election itself, and it all worked out in the end.”
Tenorio also mentioned that special accommodations were made to ensure that elections were held in the safest regard with the pandemic. “The students’ health and well-being are important to us just as the mandate to hold the elections this year is as well, the high school principals of course enforced the safety protocols as they have been since their students returned to face-to-face learning, and our poll supervisors were also there to facilitate that these and other safety regulations were in place during their time in the voting places,” said Tenorio.
Holding the elections was a two-day process due to the blended learning schedule in use by the Public School System.
Youth Congress coordinator Luis John Castro stated, “For a lot of our administrators, this election was a first for them, and it was the first time too that voting was stretched over an expanded amount of days. So we made sure that we were understanding in this degree, to give the principals the ability to have all students vote despite the circumstances we are dealing with.”
Castro was also grateful for the dialogue he had with all the principals who oversaw the planning and logistics for the poll sites saying, “Working together for greater efficiency and ensured a smooth election. We could not have done this without the cooperation of the school principals,” he said.
Excited
House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez and Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider are excited to work with the youth senators-elect on pressing matters important to them.
“We all know that the youth have a voice that not is only loud but strong, and my colleagues and I are eager to get to work with them,” Villagomez said.
The speaker said with the new challenges our youth face, he is hoping that new ideas can come out through their dialogue and legislation.
“If there is one thing this pandemic has taught us is how to think outside the box when dealing with a new normal and these young leaders are masters of that, so I hope that mentality allows them to craft new ideas not just for bills and other legislation, but also in addressing their peers’ needs and helping our community,” Villagomez said as he also expressed gratitude to the principals and the high school teachers for urging students to vote.
Hofschneider, for his part, said he hopes to see the incoming Youth Congress members make use of their full potential.
“Our Youth Congress is not just a bunch of teenagers playing Legislature — they are full-fledged policymakers who can effectuate change and action as they see fit, and I am eager to not only witness their growth but offer a hand should they need any assistance to strengthen their place in our democratic process,” Hofschneider said.
He along with other members of the Senate have expressed a desire to dialogue with the youth senators to get their input on issues regarding not only their schools but their respective senatorial districts.
Staffers from the offices of Speaker Villagomez and Rep. Leila C. Staffler also provided assistance during the Youth Congress elections.
Swearing in
According to Tenorio and Castro, the youth senators-elect will be sworn in on May 15, 2021 at 10 a.m. at the legislative building on Capital Hill.
They are Liekeila’akata T. Iakopo of Kagman High School, Abriette T. Manglona of Dr. Rita H. Inos Jr.-Sr. High School, incumbent Cielo G. Long of Tinian Jr.-Sr. High School, Easton Dela Cruz of Marianas High School, and YuriHana DLG Sasamoto of Mount Carmel School.
The activities and operations of the CNMI Youth Congress are funded and facilitated by the staff of the Legislative Bureau.
Youth Congress elections are held every two years. Candidates must be between the ages of 14 and 17, a freshman, sophomore or junior student of a high school they are registered to vote in, and a U.S. citizen.
For more information, call 664-8863, fax 664-8849, or email [email protected]
LJ Castro
Perry Tenorio
