5 Nov 2008

Sablan takes lead in CNMI election for US seat

2:40 pm on 5 November 2008

Unofficial results from Northern Marianas' election suggest Gregorio Sablan may become its first non-voting delegate to the US Congress.

Mr Sablan is a former staffer at the U.S. Senate, belonged to the CNMI Legislature and was involved in private business before becoming the Commission on Elections executive director.

Our correspondent, Mark Rabago, reports that out of 13 000 registered voters, almost 9300 went to the polls to choose between nine candidates.

"Gregorio Sablan is leading the polls by 2279 votes. He's now followed by Pedro Tenorio on 1819 and John Oliver Gonzales is in the third place with 1740. Of the three, only Pedro Tenorio has a party, he is a Republican, while the two others are Independents. There's still a little over 1000 absentee votes that will be counted on November 18."

Mark Rabago reporting.

Elections were also held in Guam and Palau yesterday, while American Samoans are casting their votes today.