2014 Northern Mariana Islands general election

Summary

General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 4 November, 2014. Voters elected the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Delegate to the US Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, mayors, municipal councils and the Board of Education. Additionally, a referendum involving changes to the constitution was held.[1]

2014 Northern Mariana Islands general election

Gubernatorial election
← 2009 4 November 2014 (first round)
21 November 2014 (runoff)
2018 →
 
Nominee Eloy Inos Heinz Hofschneider
Party Republican Independent
Running mate Ralph Torres Ray Naraja Yumul
Popular vote 6,547 4,948
Percentage 56.96% 43.04%

Results by voting district:
Eloy Inos:      50–55%      55–60%      60–65%      65–70%      >95%
Heinz Hofschneider:      50–55%

Governor before election

Eloy Inos
Republican

Elected Governor

Eloy Inos
Republican

Delegate election
← 2012 4 November 2014 2016 →
 
Nominee Gregorio Sablan Andrew Sablan Salas
Party Independent Democratic
Popular vote 8,549 4,547
Percentage 65.28% 34.72%

Delegate before election

Gregorio Sablan
Independent

Elected Delegate

Gregorio Sablan
Independent

Senate election
← 2012
2016 →

6 of the 9 seats in the Senate
5 seats needed for a majority
Party Seats
Republican

7
Independents

2
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
House election
← 2012
2016 →

All 20 seats in the House of Representatives
11 seats needed for a majority
Party Seats
Independents

13
Republican

7
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Mayoral elections
← 2009
2018 →

4 Mayors
Party Seats
Republican

3
Independents

1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Incumbent Republican Governor Eloy Inos was re-elected, facing two independent challengers and one Democratic challenger. The next lieutenant governor was elected on the same ticket, with incumbent Jude Hofschneider not running for re-election. As no candidate got a majority, a runoff was held on 21 November, 2014.[2] This election was the first time since 2001 that the Covenant Party, which dissolved in 2013, was not on the ballot. It also marked the first time since 1999 that only two political parties would compete in the elections, marking a return to a two-party system similar to that of the United States rather than the multi-party system, which began back in 1999 when the now dissolved Reform Party was first formed and went on to win a stunning victory by managing to elect Senator Ramon Deleon Guerrero to the senate,[3] that had defined the CNMI for nearly 15 years. The Democratic Party would not win a single seat in the legislature until 2020 and would not compete for the governorship until 2022.

Background edit

The previous election was held in 2009 for a 5-year term,[4] in order to move all elections to even years. Covenant Party candidate Benigno Repeki Fitial was re-elected; his running mate Eloy Inos was elected to his first full term as lieutenant governor. Fitial resigned as governor in February 2013 in the face of impeachment hearings.[5] Inos thus became governor. In September 2013, he took steps to merge the Covenant Party with the territorial Republican Party, and ran for re-election as a Republican.[6]

Gubernatorial election edit

Eloy Inos, the incumbent republican governor was re-elected.[2] He was challenged by the speaker of the house and 2009 candidate, Heinz Sablan Hofschneider, former governor Juan Babauta (both running as independents), and democratic candidate Edward Masga Deleon Guerrero, former ports authority executive director.[7]

Northern Mariana Islands Gubernatorial Election[2]
Party Candidate Running mate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Republican Eloy Songao Inos (incumbent) Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres 6,342 45.96% 6,547 56.96%
Independent Heinz Sablan Hofschneider Ray Naraja Yumul 4,501 32.62% 4,948 43.04%
Independent Juan Nekai Babauta Juan Sablan Torres 2,414 17.50%
Democratic Edward Masga Deleon Guerrero Daniel Ogo Quitugua 541 3.92%
Total 13,798 100% 11,495 100%
Republican hold

Delegate to the US House of Representatives edit

Incumbent Delegate Gregorio Sablan was re-elected. He caucuses with the Democratic Party, but ran as an Independent. Sablan was challenged by democrat Andrew Salas, a former territorial representative and Commerce Secretary.[2] While not quite as massive as his 2012 victory, Sablan managed to win yet another landslide with nearly two-thirds of the vote over his Democratic competitor.[8]

CNMI Delegate to the US House of Representatives[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (incumbent) 8,549 65.28% -14.42%
Democratic Andrew Sablan Salas 4,547 34.72% N/A
Total votes 13,096 100.00%
Independent hold

Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature edit

The 2014 elections are for the 19th Legislature

Results summary edit

 
Parties House Election Results Seat Change Party Strength
2012 2014 +/− Strength
  Independent 12 13 1   65.00%
  Republican 4 7 3   35.00%
  Covenant (Dissolved) 4 0 4   0.00%
  Democratic 0 0   0.00%
Totals 20 20   100.00%
 
Parties Senate Election Results Seat Change Party Strength
2012 2013[9][a] 2014 +/− Strength
  Republican 5 5 ( ) 7 2   77.78%
  Independent 4 3 (1 ) 2 1   22.22%
  Democratic 0 0 ( ) 0   0.00%
  Covenant (Dissolved) 0 0 ( ) 0   0.00%
  Vacant 0 1 (1 ) 0 1   0.00%
Totals 9 9 9   100.00%

Senate edit

The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature, consisting of nine senators representing three senatorial districts (Saipan & the Northern Islands, Tinian & Aguijan, and Rota), each a Multi-member district with three senators. Each district had two seats open for the 2014 elections. The third district also hosted a special election for one seat.

Rota 1st Senatorial District (2 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Teresita Apatang Santos 786 28.17%
Republican Steven King Mesngon 687 24.62%
Independent Paul Atalig Manglona 633 22.69%
Independent Jovita Maratita Taimanao (incumbent) 492 17.63%
Independent Tom Glenn A. Quitugua 192 6.88%
Total votes 2,790 100.00%
Tinian 2nd Senatorial District (2 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Francisco Quichuchu Cruz (incumbent) 768 27.64%
Republican Jude Untalan Hofschneider (incumbent) 726 26.12%
Independent Trenton Brian Conner 644 23.17%
Independent Joaquin Hoashi Borja 641 23.07%
Total votes 2,779 100.00%
Saipan 3rd Senatorial District (2 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Justo Songao Quitugua 4,542 23.17%
Republican Arnold I. Palacios 3,774 19.26%
Republican Oscar Manglona Babauta 3,684 18.80%
Independent Janet Ulloa Maratita 3,244 16.55%
Independent Iluminanda Reyes Bermudes 2,172 11.08%
Democratic Jesus Ilo Taisague 1,345 6.86%
Independent Stephen Carl Woodruff 798 4.07%
Total votes 19,599 100.00%
Saipan 3rd Senatorial District (Special Election) (1 seat)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sixto Kaipat Igisomar 5,903 56.97%
Independent Jesus Manibusan Castro 3,059 29.52%
Independent Roy Taisacan Rios 1,400 13.51%
Total votes 10,362 100.00%

House of Representative edit

The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The house has seven districts and five of the seven are Multi-member district.

House of Representative - District 1: Saipan (6 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Angel Aldan Demapan 1,935 10.53%
Independent Edwin Kenneth Propst 1,585 8.63%
Republican Joseph "Leepan" Tenorio Guerrero (incumbent) 1,537 8.36%
Independent Roman Cepeda Benavente (incumbent) 1,508 8.21%
Independent Joseph Pinaula Deleon Guerrero 1,424 7.75%
Independent Antonio Pangelinan Sablan (incumbent) 1,354 7.37%
Republican Gregorio Muna Sablan, Jr. 1,271 6.92%
Independent Richard Benavente Seman (incumbent) 1,225 6.67%
Independent Joseph Arriola Flores 1,202 6.54%
Independent Mariano Taitano (incumbent) 1,129 6.14%
Independent Rose Nelly Taman Ada-Hocog 1,025 5.58%
Independent John Magofna Pialur 1,025 5.58%
Democratic Frankie Fernando Angel 667 3.63%
Democratic Vincent Go Cabrera 422 2.30%
Independent Benjamin Matagolai Cepeda 381 2.07%
Democratic Calistro Iguel Reyes 372 2.02%
Democratic Nelson Ayuyu Rios 313 1.70%
Total votes 18,375 100.00%
House of Representative - District 2: Saipan (2 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Paul Palacios Sablan (incumbent) 595 34.02%
Republican Rafael Sablan Demapan (incumbent) 578 33.05%
Independent Vicente Aldan Ichihara 369 21.10%
Democratic Bruce Jarrett Manglona 207 11.84%
Total votes 1,749 100.00%
House of Representative - District 3: Saipan (6 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez (incumbent) 1,473 11.43%
Independent Blas Jonathan "BL" Tenorio Attao 1,455 11.29%
Independent Ralph Naraja Yumul (incumbent) 1,358 10.54%
Independent Ramon Anagailen Tebuteb (incumbent) 1,300 10.09%
Independent Anthony Tenorio Benavente (incumbent) 1,240 9.62%
Republican Felicidad Taman Ogumoro (incumbent) 1,230 9.55%
Independent Francisco Santos Dela Cruz (incumbent) 1,178 9.14%
Republican Stanley Estanislao Tudela McGinnis Torres 1,028 7.98%
Republican Maryann Agulto Borja-Arriola 995 7.72%
Republican Vincente Castro Camacho 971 7.54%
Republican Susana Blas Deelon Guerrero 658 5.11%
Total votes 12,886 100.00%
House of Representative - District 4: Saipan (2 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Vinson Edward Flores Sablan 813 33.28%
Republican George Norita Camacho (incumbent) 568 23.25%
Independent Diego Litulumar Kaipat 544 22.27%
Independent Christopher Duenas Leon Guerrero (incumbent) 518 21.20%
Total votes 2,443 100.00%
House of Representative - District 5: Saipan (2 seats)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Francis Songsong Taimanao 964 27.38%
Independent Lorenzo Iglecuas Deleion Guerrero (incumbent) 839 23.88%
Republican Antonio Reyes Agulto (incumbent) 660 18.74%
Independent Jose Sablan Demapan 543 15.42%
Republican Francisco Concepcion Aguon 515 14.63%
Total votes 3,521 100.00%
House of Representative - District 6: Tinian (1 seat)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Edwin Palacios Aldan 748 53.01%
Republican Charlene Manglona Lizama 663 46.99%
Total votes 1,411 100.00%
Independent hold
House of Representative - District 7: Rota (1 seat)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Glenn Lizama Maratita 751 52.74%
Independent Thomas Lee Atalig Manglona 673 47.26%
Total votes 1,424 100.00%
Republican hold

Mayors edit

All four mayoral posts were up for election across the Commonwealth.

On June 2, 2014, incumbent Saipan Mayor Donald Flores, then in his second term, died in office following a stroke.[10] Governor Eloy Inos appointed Marian Deleon Guerrero Tudela as acting Mayor of Saipan on June 3, 2014, to serve for the remainder of Flores' unexpired term, which would end in January 2015.[11][10] Ramon B. Camacho, the chairman of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, served as acting mayor until Tudela could return from Arizona to take the oath of office.[11][12] Tudela had been living in Arizona at the time of her appointment in order to take care of her great-granddaughter.[12] Inos cited her second place finish in the 2009 mayoral election as a reason for her appointment.[10] She promised to retain all of Flores' existing staff during her term.[10] Marian Tudela was sworn into office on June 8, 2014, by Governor Eloy Inos during a ceremony at the Coral Ocean Point Resort.[12] She became the first female mayor of Saipan, as well as the first female mayor of any municipality in the Northern Mariana Islands in history.[12][13] Tudela declined to run for a full term.

Mayor - Saipan[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent David Mundo Apatang 4,206 40.15%
Independent Ramon RB Jose Camacho 2,955 28.21%
Republican Joseph Agulto Reyes 2,359 22.52%
Democratic Antonio Pinaula Mareham 955 9.12%
Total votes 10,475 100.00%
Independent hold
Mayor - Tinian[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joey Patrick San Nicolas 703 48.65%
Independent Ramon Muna Dela Cruz (incumbent) [b] 696 48.17%
Democratic David Mendiola Cing 46 3.18%
Total votes 1,445 100.00%
Republican gain from Independent
Mayor - Rota[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Efraim Manglona Atalig 797 52.30%
Independent Melchor Atalig Mendiola (incumbent) 727 47.70%
Total votes 1,524 100.00%
Republican gain from Independent
Mayor - Northern Islands[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Francisco Jerome Kaipat Aldan 94 60.65%
Independent Vicente Jr. Cruz Santos 61 39.35%
Total votes 155 100.00%
Republican gain from Independent

Attorney General edit

This was the first election in which the Attorney General was an elected position.[14] Edward Manibusan, the former presiding judge of the Superior Court, defeated attorney Michael N. Evangelista handily. Manibusan won all but Tanapag and Rota in the general election.[15]

Attorney General (non-partisan)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Edward Eladio Manibusan 8,599 64.99%
Independent Michael Norita Evangelista 4,672 31.31%
Total votes 13,231 100.00%

Municipal Council edit

Municipal Council - Saipan & Northern Islands (non-partisan)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Lareiana Castro Camacho 6,211 27.84%
Independent Antonia Manibusan Tudela (incumbent) 5,660 25.37%
Independent Alice Santos Igitol 5,455 24.46%
Independent Isidoro Tudela Cabrera 4,980 22.33%
Total votes 22,306 100.00%
Municipal Council - Tinian & Aguiguan (non-partisan)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Diana Hocog Borja 889 20.95%
Independent Edwin Manglona Hofschneider 809 19.07%
Independent Raynaldo Mendoila Cing (incumbent) 730 17.20%
Independent Antonio San Nicolas Borja (incumbent) 655 15.44%
Independent Fritz Mendiola San Nicolas 594 14.00%
Independent Esteven Pangelinan Cabrera (incumbent) 566 13.34%
Total votes 4,243 100.00%
Municipal Council - Rota (non-partisan)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Ivan Jr. Mereb 890 22.49%
Independent George Ogo Hocog (incumbent) 811 20.49%
Independent Roman Mendiola Calvo 775 19.58%
Independent Joseph Manglona Ogo 640 16.17%
Independent Michael Babauta Manglona 604 15.26%
Independent Juan Atalig Barcinas 238 6.01%
Total votes 3,958 100.00%

Board of Education edit

Board of Education - Saipan & Northern Islands (non-partisan)[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Herman Tenorio 8,665 100.00%
Total votes 8,665 100.00%
Board of Education - Tinian & Aguiguan[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Florine Mendiola Hofschneider 918 66.43%
Independent Martin Matagolai Sakisat 464 33.57%
Total votes 1,382 100.00%

Referendum edit

The general elections included three referendum questions, two of which involved legislative initiative amendments to the constitution. The constitutional amendments were to:

  • article XV, subsection 1(e) of the constitution to increase the minimum proportion of the Commonwealth general-revenue budget spent on primary and secondary education from 15% to 25%. H.L.I. 18-12.[16]
  • amend article XII, section 4 to redefine "persons of Northern Mariana Islands descent" as being someone who has "some degree of Northern Mariana Chamorro or Northern Mariana Carolinan blood", as opposed to the current requirement of at least 25% bloodline. H.L.I. 18-1.[1]

An amendment proposed by legislative initiative shall become effective if approved by a majority of the votes cast. N.M.I. Const. art. XVIII, § 5(b).

The other referendum asked voters whether a Constitutional Convention should be convened to propose amendments to the constitution. H.B. 18-5.[1]

The Constitutional Convention proposal would have required two-thirds of the votes cast to be approved. N.M.I. Const. art. XVIII, § 2(c).

Referendum Questions[2] For Against
Votes % Votes %
Calling a Constitutional Convention (required two-thirds of votes cast) 7,859 66.01% 4,046 33.99%
Constitutional amendment on education spending (required majority of votes cast) 8,082 66.56% 4,060 33.44%
Constitutional amendment on the definition of descent (required majority of votes cast) 6,177 52.34% 5,624 47.66%

Notes edit

  1. ^ Ray Naraja Yumul resigned to run with Juan Nekai Babauta as his lieutenant governor in the 2014 Northern Mariana Islands general election. This seat was filled in a special election that coincides with the 2014 general election.
  2. ^ Ramon Muna Dela Cruz switched his affiliation from Republican to Independent before the elections

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Commonwealth Election Commission - Legislative Initiatives". Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Commonwealth Election Commission - Election 2014 Results". Archived from the original on November 30, 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Analysis: What went wrong , what went right". Saipan Tribune. 1999-11-08. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  4. ^ Eugenio, Haidee V. (2009-11-23). "CNMI holds first runoff election". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-01-12.
  5. ^ Erediano, Emmanuel T (20 February 2013). "New governor, lt. governor". Marianas Variety. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  6. ^ Eugenio, Haidee (September 19, 2013). "Inos, Covenant Party members rejoining GOP". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on April 8, 2014.
  7. ^ Eugenio, Haidee (March 14, 2014). "Dems pick Deleon Guerrero-Quitugua". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  8. ^ Rabago, Mark (2014-11-06). "Kilili wins 4th term in another landslide". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  9. ^ Eugenio, Haidee (October 2014). "CNMI heads for 3 elections in November". Islands Business. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  10. ^ a b c d Camacho, Jayson (2014-06-11). "Hundreds attend funeral of late mayor Donald Flores". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  11. ^ a b "Tudela named Saipan mayor". Office of the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Saipan Tribune. 2014-06-04. Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  12. ^ a b c d Rabago, Mark (2014-06-09). "Saipan's First Female Mayor: Marian Tudela sworn in". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2017-12-20. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  13. ^ "Saipan's First Female Mayor, Marian Tudela, Sworn Into Office". Pacific News Center. 2014-06-08. Archived from the original on 2021-03-07. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  14. ^ Eugenio, Haidee (August 5, 2014). "Inos appoints Birnbrich as AG". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  15. ^ De La Torre, Ferdie (November 6, 2014). "Former judge Manibusan wins over Evangelista in AG race". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  16. ^ House Legislative Initiative 18-12 Vote CNMI

External links edit

  • Juan Babauta
  • Heinz Hofschneider
  • Gregorio Sablan
  • Andrew Salas