The CEC on Friday said all the initiatives on the Nov. 7 ballot were ratified, which was a reversal of its earlier announcement.
Previously, the commission included “overvotes” and “undervotes” in computing the total number of “votes cast.”
But CNMI lawyers and Rep. Tina Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, pointed out that “votes cast” are votes that were counted.
Among those ratified were S.L.I. 16-11, amending Section 2 of Article 8 of the CNMI Constitution so that regular general elections must be held only in even-numbered years.
This means that the next midterm elections will be held in 2012 to coincide with the U.S. congressional election, while the next gubernatorial election will be held in 2014.
Also ratified was the popular initiative that applies the Open Government Act to the Legislture.
“We have reconsidered our decision that none of the initiatives were ratified,” Commission Chairwoman Frances M. Sablan said. “Our legal counsel made an extensive research about this issue and her findings concluded that the initiatives passed.”
According to the chairwoman, “We took the right course of action. We are a humane board. If we erred in our decision, then we correct it. If we are right, we stand firm on our decision.”
Also ratified were H.L.I. 16-11 which prohibits the withdrawal of any funds from the general funds unless a new budget law is enacted; and H.L.I. 15-3 which limits the terms of office of the five elected Board of Education members to two four-year terms only.
It also requires that the non-voting public school student representative must be a high school student, and the public school teacher representative must be a teacher.
