THE Commonwealth Election Commission is reviewing the eligibility of 224 absentee voters from Rota in response to a challenge filed by Vincent C. Hocog.
Hocog, a registered voter of Rota, asked the CEC on Nov. 23 to check the right of such persons to be or to remain registered as CNMI voters in any Commonwealth district and the right of such persons to vote in the runoff.
More than 2,000 absentee voters were registered with the CEC, but only 278 ballots were tallied for the runoff election on Nov. 25. Republican Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and his running mate Senate Floor Leader Vinnie Flores received 140 absentee votes while the Independent tandem of Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang garnered 138.
Palacios-Apatang, who won the election, received a total of 7,077 votes while Torres-Sablan secured 6,017 votes.
In an interview on Wednesday, CEC Executive Director Kayla Igitol said they had to look into Hocog’s challenge, “which we are doing right now.”
She said she will announce her decision before Friday.
She noted that additional absentee ballots have arrived on island, and are now in the custody of the U.S. Post Office. The CEC cannot retrieve them until Dec. 9, the official deadline for receiving absentee ballots.
Hocog submitted the list of 224 absentee voters to CEC Chairman Jesus I. Sablan and Executive Director Kayla S. Igitol, challenging the legitimacy, legality and validity of any and all ballots cast in the runoff election.
Commonwealth Election Commission Executive Director Kayla Igitol talks to poll workers prior to the tabulation of the runoff election ballots on Nov. 25, 2022 at the multi-purpose center in Susupe.
