5 Feb 2004

Marshalls capital elects new mayor

2:59 pm on 5 February 2004

Voters in the Marshall Islands capital, Majuro, have elected Rele Alberttar as their new mayor.

Unofficial results from last Friday's run-off poll show Mr Alberttar won nearly twice as many votes as his rival, Tony Muller.

Mr Alberttar, who is a former chief justice of the Marshall Islands Traditional Rights Court, replaces Mudge Samuel who was barred from seeking a second term.

The chief electoral officer said Mudge Samuel was not allowed to stand again because it had come to light that he had a felony assault conviction from 1986, and according to the constitution he cannot be elected.

Mudge Samuel is challenging that decision in the high court but a trial date has not yet been set.