Osima (Ollei hamlet), Allen Kangichi (Ngermetong hamlet), Dorothy Kuroda (Ngeiungel hamlet), Caleb Tekriu (Ngebei hamlet), Ngirablau Sambal (Iyebukel hamlet), Kalistus Wasissang (Ngriil hamlet), and James S. Ultirakl (Mengallakl hamlet).
The Office of the Election Commission (EC) completed its final count of the absentee ballots on Tuesday – most of which were irrelevant except for five that were cast for Mengallakl candidates, particularly James Ultirakl and Alvina Merur.When the all the votes cast in Palau were counted, Ultirakl was ahead of Merur by 5. The five absentee ballots could have been the basis for another election; however, one was voided and Merur received the rest. Ultirakl was declared winner by one vote.According to the EC, one of the absentee ballots was voided as a result of multiple checks – a voter selected two of the three candidates instead of one.The newly elected members of the NSA along with its traditional members have been meeting since the absentee results were revealed in an attempt to organize and elect their officers. However, sources indicate that the process has been a little time consuming and frustrating because the new faces are just getting acquainted with the re-elected. Lobbying amongst members and formation of alliances have only begun and NSA members will have to elect their officers before the onset of their first constitutionally mandated session date – the second Friday of October.
