“The chances are probably very high that we will have a runoff because there are many candidates,” he said.
Palacios, R-Saipan, sponsored House Bill 16-220 which sets the guidelines for a runoff in case none of the candidates for governor and lt. governor get the 50+1 majority votes cast and counted in the Nov. 7 gubernatorial election.
In 2007, more than 7,200 voters ratified House Legislative Initiative 15-16 which mandates a gubernatorial runoff in case none of the candidates got the 50+1 majority votes.
Palacios, the running mate of Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, said his bill, which is pending in the Senate, sets the rules for the runoff.
He said the runoff should be between the two tickets with the highest votes.
“If no one gets the 50+1 vote, the two highest vote getters will face each other in the runoff,” he said.
If none of the candidates still get the 50+1 majority votes cast and counted, a second runoff may be held.
The incumbent governor must step down once his term ends and the Senate president will be the acting governor until the official gubernatorial election winners are proclaimed.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez got only 28.31 of the votes cast during the four-way 2005 gubernatorial election.
