The CNMI Constitution provides that at least every 10 years and within 120 days following the publication of the Census results, the Legislature “shall reapportion the seats in the House of Representatives or revise districts.”
The House has 20 seats, 18 of which are for Saipan. Rota and Tinian have one each. The three islands have three seats each in the Senate.
Tenorio said Saipan’s House seats can be reduced to 11.
He said Saipan’s election precincts were reapportioned prior to the midterm elections three years ago based on the 2000 Census data.
After the 2000 Census, the Legislature “failed to reapportion the seats for some reasons,” he said.
The governor at the time also did not promulgate a reapportionment as provided in the Constitution in case of the Legislature’s failure to do so, he added.
Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, said the reapportionment of election precincts in 2007 was a long overdue compliance with the 2000 Census.
This time, he added, “we are going to be ready.”
Tenorio said there will be an “overhaul” of Saipan’s precincts.
He knows the ruling Covenant Party is not going to like it but he said there is a need to “break the traditional way politicians and voters exercise democracy” on island.
Politicians in certain precincts get elected not by a majority of Saipan’s voters, the former governor said.
Most of them need just enough votes from their families and other relatives to get elected, he added.
Tenorio said he doubts if these politicians “really care for the interest of the majority of the people” of Saipan.
In many cases, he added, these lawmakers care only about the people in their precincts.
