THE Commonwealth Election Commission has denied the Independent team’s request to be included as poll workers in the Nov. 25 gubernatorial runoff election.
In a letter Monday to the Palacios-Apatang campaign chair, Oscar M. Babauta, CEC Executive Director Kayla S. Igitol said, “Because your independent candidates are not from a duly recognized political party, your candidates are not statutorily authorized to submit a recommended list of poll workers for consideration under 1 CMC §6109.”
The CEC executive director “shall employ poll workers and poll supervisors necessary to conduct elections and administer the commission’s other duties and responsibilities,” according to 1 CMC §6109(d). “Such employees shall be hired from lists of individuals recommended by the recognized political parties in such a manner as to ensure a fair representation of all recognized political parties in the total cohort. All such employees shall receive training and certification in procedures, ethics, tasks, and responsibilities prior to being assigned any duties.”
Igitol said based on this statute, the CEC will only employ poll workers recommended by a recognized political party, such as the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
She added, “You are therefore welcome to coordinate with one of those recognized political parties to submit recommended poll workers for the runoff election, until such time that the statute…is amended to include non-recognized political parties or independent, non-affiliated candidates.”
NMI Democratic Party Chair Jonathan Cabrera told Variety on Wednesday that they are working with the Palacios-Apatang team to finalize a list of poll workers, supervisors, and observers for the upcoming runoff election.
“We will be submitting that list to the Commonwealth Election soon,” he added.
The NMI Democrats have endorsed Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang. Their runoff opponent is the Republican team of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and his running mate, Senate Floor Leader Vinnie F. Sablan.
