The election commission said an additional 700 absentee ballots were requested through mail and they will be tabulated tomorrow, Nov. 11.
As of 11:30 p.m., Thursday, Toribiong-Mariur had 4,770 votes while Chin-Seid got 4,554.
Chin edged Toribiong on Saipan, 250 to 185; and Hawaii, 162 to 141; but lost by 40 votes on Guam, 448 to 488.
The elections commission said of the 14,196 registered voters, 9,905 cast their ballots for a turnout rate of 69.77 percent.
Chin, the outgoing vice president, said he is optimistic about the off-island votes.
He said his “stronghold” is
”outside of Palau.”
“I am just as excited and worried as Toribong,” Chin added.
Both candidates however criticized the slow tabulation process.
Toribiong, a lawyer and Palau’s ambassador to Taiwan, said the counting could have been made more efficient but added that the election process was “peaceful and fair.”
Chin said although the process was slow, the commission was doing a good job in the tabulation of votes.
