If this initiative is ratified, all members of the House of Representatives and other public offices whose term of office is two years will serve three years.
The elected governor, lt. governor and senators will serve a term of five years instead of just four.
Additionally, the midterm elections will be held in 2012 and the next regular general elections will be held in 2014 and every four years thereafter.
The House of Representatives passed Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11 on Monday and quickly transmitted it to proper authorities, including the Commonwealth Election Commission.
Sen. Jude Hofschneider, R-Saipan, offered S.L.I. 16-11. Both houses of the Legislature passed the measure by a three-fourths vote. The initiative does not need the governor’s approval to be included on the ballot.
S.L.I. 16-11 and Saipan Independent Rep. Tina Sablan’s proposal to apply the Open Government Act to the Legislature are the only initiatives that will need the voters’ approval in November.
There will be no retention question for any member of the judicial branch, according to the commission.
S.L.1. 16-11 seeks to amend Section 2 of Article 8 of the CNMI Constitution so that regular general elections be held only in even-numbered years.
U.S. Public Law 110-229 which mandates the federalization of the islands’ immigration system and created a CNMI seat in the U.S. House of Representatives required a congressional election for that office in even-numbered years.
Local elections are held on odd-numbered years.
Hofschneider said the cash-strapped CNMI government will save much needed resources if its elections are consolidated.
“By not holding an election every year, the Legislature finds that the cost-savings could be used for other programs and services in need of additional funds,” he said in the findings of his bill.
Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, agreed. He said the allocation of CNMI resources should be carefully determined to ensure that other vital public services are met.
