Casino proponents on Saipan in the Northern Marianas are accepting defeat for now after only a few hundred signed their petition to place the question about allowing casino gambling on the November 6th ballot.
As of mid-June, the campaign presented only 497 signatures in support of placing the Saipan casino question on the ballot, far short of the required 2,590 signatures to have it on the ballot.
Yesterday was the last day for submission of signatures to the Office of the Attorney General.
Similar Saipan casino questions which previously succeeded in being placed on the ballot were defeated; the latest was in 2007.
Saipan lawmakers tried to push it through local legislation but the Governor vetoed it, saying it is unconstitutional.
The court also has yet to decide on the certified question related to the local Saipan casino bill.
