The team of attorney Johnson Toribiong and Delegate Kerai Mariur placed a close second, but with 1,768 absentee ballots yet to be tabulated, the tandems of Senate President Surangel Whipps-presidential chief of staff Billy Kuartei and Sen. Joshua Koshiba-Peleliu Gov. Jackson Ngiraingas still had a mathematical chance to make it on the November ballot.
As of yesterday, the Election Commission had received 700 absentee ballots, which will be tabulated on Sept. 30.
The absentee ballots were for the Palauans who live on Guam, Saipan, Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.
Only the top two teams can run in the general elections on Nov. 4.
Voter turnout on Tuesday was low — only 54 percent, or 7,771 of the 14,190 registered voters, cast their ballots.
Based on the unofficial results, Chin-Seid garnered 2,335 votes; Toribiong-Mariur, 2,090; Whipps-Kuartei, 1,968; and Koshiba-Ngiraingas, 1,298.
President Tommy Remengesau, who will complete his second term on Dec. 31, is not eligible to run for re-election this year.
The election commission started tabulating the ballots on Tuesday night at 9 p.m., two hours after the polling places closed.
The tabulation stopped at 11 p.m. and resumed yesterday morning at 10.
Chin and Seid won in Koror, Palau’s most populous state, while Toribiong led in Airai where he holds a traditional title.
The election commission said Koror and Airai had the most number of registered voters.
Chin also garnered the most votes in Peleliu, Ngaraard, Anguar and Sonsorol while Toribiong finished first in Hatohobei, Melekeok and Ngiwal.
