Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election, 2009
Encyclopedia
The Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election, 2009 was held on November 7, 2009 to determine the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
.
The incumbent governor
Benigno R. Fitial
of the Covenant Party
, successfully ran for a second term; his running mate, Lt. Governor Eloy Inos
, was elected to her first full term. Fitial faced three challengers in the November 7 general election: Republican nominee Heinz Hofschneider
, independent Juan "Pan" Guerrero, and independent Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero.
Because of a law signed by Governor Fitial on July 24, 2009, a runoff election between the candidates who received the highest and second-highest vote totals would be required if no candidate obtained more than 50% of the overall vote. Under this 2009 law, a runoff would occur 14 days after the results of the general election are certified by the Commonwealth Election Commission. This election indeed required a runoff, as neither Fitial nor Hofschneider garnered more than 50% of the vote in the November 7 election.
On Election Day, Republican challenger Hofschneider received 4,900 votes and incumbent Governor Fitial received 4,892 votes, therefore advancing to the runoff election held on November 23, 2009. Of the 13,784 total votes cast in the first round on November 7, Hofschneider led Fitial by just 8 votes, the closest gubernatorial election in the history of the Northern Mariana Islands. In the November 23 runoff election, Governor Fital was reelected by a 370-vote margin.
Fitial will serve a five-year term in office as governor instead of the normal four-year term, due to the Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11, which was one of the four ballot initiatives ratified in the November 7 election. Under the Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11, future general elections will be held only in even-numbered years instead of odd-numbered years, such as 2009. Therefore, the next gubernatorial general election will take place in 2014 rather than 2013.
. That is a 15% increase in voters compared to the 15,118 people who registered to vote in the 2005 election
.
Defeated in primary:
Withdrew
.
, a Republican, declared his intention to run for governor and challenge Fitial in January 2009. His running mate was Galvin Deleon Guerrero, a member of the CNMI Board of Education.
Babauta was then defeated in the Republican primary by sitting CNMI Rep. Heinz Sablan Hofschneider, a former Speaker of the House, for the Republican Party nomination. Hofschneider's running mate is CNMI Rep. Arnold Indalecio Palacios, the current Speaker of the House.
Before the Republican primary, which was held on June 27, 2009, Hofschneider and Babauta signed a unity pledge, with each candidate pledging to support the winner of the primary. Hofschneider won the primary on June 27 with about 53% of the votes cast. Hofschneider won at six of the eight precincts. After the results were announced, the candidates convened and embraced; Babauta threw his support to Hofschneider and said that he would accept the people's decision. After Babauta had asked his supporters to vote for Hofschneider in the general election, Hofschneider called Babauta and his supporters "a crucial part of the campaign toward November."
and the federalization of the Northern Mariana Islands' immigration
by the United States government.
Republican Hofschneider and his running mate, Palacios, challenged incumbent Governor Benigno Fitial and his running mate, Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos
, in the general election. Former legislator Juan "Pan" Guerrero ran as an independent, with sitting CNMI Rep. Joe Camacho as his running mate. Another former legislator, Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero, campaigned as an independent, with former Education Commissioner David M. Borja as his running mate. The race was widely viewed as a rematch between Fitial and Hofschneider, who was narrowly defeated in 2005.
The gubernatorial candidates focused heavily on the estimated 3,000 Northern Mariana Islanders residing on the United States
mainland
, many of whom were eligible to vote be absentee ballot
. Three of the four gubernatorial candidates - Governor Fitial, Hofschneider and Juan Pan Guerrero - attended a Labor Day
festival for Northern Mariana Islanders in San Diego, California
, in September 2009. Independent candidate Juan “Pan” Guerrero and his running mate, Joe Camacho, campaigned throughout the western United States
in August and September. Guerrero and Camacho began campaigning in Salem
and Portland, Oregon
, before travelling to Seattle, Boise, Idaho
, San Francisco, Las Vegas
, San Diego and Honolulu.
, Saipan
. Incumbent Governor Benigno Fitial and First Lady Josie Fitial
voted at 7:10 a.m., Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero arrived at the school at 7:20 a.m. and independent candidate Juan Pan Guerrero voted after 9 a.m. Republican candidate Heinz Hofschneider also voted at Garapan Elementary School at 6 p.m. later that day. An estimated 84% of registered voters participated in the election.
In the November 7 general election, Republican challenger Heinz Hofschneider
received 4,900 votes and incumbent Governor Benigno Fitial received 4,892 votes, therefore both advanced to the runoff election slated for November 23, 2009. A total of 13,784 votes were cast in the first round. Hofschneider led Fitial by just eight votes, the closest gubernatorial election in the history of the Northern Mariana Islands. Independent candidates Juan Pan Guerrero
and Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero came in 3rd and 4th place respectively and, therefore, did not qualify for the second runoff election.
Under a 2009 law signed by Governor Benigno Fitial, a runoff election is required within fourteen days of the if no candidate obtained 50% of the popular vote plus 1. Since neither Fitial nor Hofschneider garnered more than 50% of the vote, a runoff date was set for November 23, 2009.
, Governor Fitial declared November 23 a legal holiday in the Northern Mariana Islands to encourage voter turnout
.
The candidates qualifying for the runoff on November 23, 2009, were incumbent Covenant Party Governor Benigno Fitial and Republican candidate, Rep. Heinz Hofschneider
. The incumbent ticket of Fitial-Inos campaigned for re-election on a theme of "proven leadership
and proven experience," while the rival Hofscneider-Palacios campaign advocated a "change in leadership" to voters.
Both the Fitial and Hofschneider campaigns reached out to supporters of the independent candidates who did not qualify for the November 23rd runoff, Juan Pan Guerrero
and Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero. The support of these independent voters was considered vital both Fitial's and Hofschneider's candidacies.
Former independent candidate Juan "Pan" Guerrero declined to endorse
either Fitial or Hofschneider in one-page statement released on November 13, 2009. Instead, Guerrero, who came in third in the gubernatoral election, called on CNMI voters, especially his supporters, to support the candidate who best "represents a better future for themselves, their families, and the Commonwealth
." Guerrero further elaborated that, "As soon as it was clear that I would not be in the runoff election, I urged supporters to make their own choices about whom to support-Ben and Eloy or Heinz and Arnold." In his statement, Guerrero noted that he make no further public statements concerning the election before the runoff.
Guerrero running mate in the 2009 election, Joe Camacho, issued his own statement on November 12 endorsing the Covenant Party ticket of Governor Benigno Fitial and Lt. Governor Eloy Inos for re-election. Camacho's brother, Clyde Norita, who was the chairman for the Executive Committee to Elect Juan Pan and Joe Camacho, also endorsed Fitial and Inos.
Former independent candidate Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero, who came in fourth place in the general election, endorsed Heinz Hofschneider and Arnold Palacios for governor and lt. governor. Deleon Guerrero cited the wishes of his supporters and support for reforms advocated by Hofschneider, as well as alleged broken promises by the Fitial administration, for his endorsement. He further cited similarities between his own campaign and Hofschneider's messages, "Hofschneider and Palacios have whole-heartedly embraced these visions. They have even taken to heart, our campaign theme of "Time For Change." Deleon Guerrero stated that Fitial had failed to deliver on a number of promises during his term in office, such as economic growth
, improved healthcare and the removal of fuel surcharges.
However, Deleon Guerrero's running mate, former Education Commissioner David Borja
, endorsed Governor Fitial for re-election. Fitial was also endorsed by the Deleon Guerrero-Borja campaign chairman, Rudy R. Sablan, and seven other senior members of the campaign team.
On December 8, after all ballots had been counted, Fitial was declared the victor in the runoff. He and Inos received 6,610 votes, while Hofschneider and Palacios received 6,240 votes.
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
.
The incumbent governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Benigno R. Fitial
Benigno R. Fitial
Benigno Repeki Fitial is the current governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005 and assumed office on January 9, 2006 and was re-elected to a second, five-year term in 2009....
of the Covenant Party
Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
The Covenant Party is a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands advocating government and financial reform. In the legislative elections of 2003, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. In the 2005 elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the...
, successfully ran for a second term; his running mate, Lt. Governor Eloy Inos
Eloy Inos
Eloy Songao Inos is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Covenant Party, currently serves as Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was nominated by Governor Benigno Fitial to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lt....
, was elected to her first full term. Fitial faced three challengers in the November 7 general election: Republican nominee Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
, independent Juan "Pan" Guerrero, and independent Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero.
Because of a law signed by Governor Fitial on July 24, 2009, a runoff election between the candidates who received the highest and second-highest vote totals would be required if no candidate obtained more than 50% of the overall vote. Under this 2009 law, a runoff would occur 14 days after the results of the general election are certified by the Commonwealth Election Commission. This election indeed required a runoff, as neither Fitial nor Hofschneider garnered more than 50% of the vote in the November 7 election.
On Election Day, Republican challenger Hofschneider received 4,900 votes and incumbent Governor Fitial received 4,892 votes, therefore advancing to the runoff election held on November 23, 2009. Of the 13,784 total votes cast in the first round on November 7, Hofschneider led Fitial by just 8 votes, the closest gubernatorial election in the history of the Northern Mariana Islands. In the November 23 runoff election, Governor Fital was reelected by a 370-vote margin.
Fitial will serve a five-year term in office as governor instead of the normal four-year term, due to the Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11, which was one of the four ballot initiatives ratified in the November 7 election. Under the Senate Legislative Initiative 16-11, future general elections will be held only in even-numbered years instead of odd-numbered years, such as 2009. Therefore, the next gubernatorial general election will take place in 2014 rather than 2013.
Election background
A total of 16,146 voters registered to vote with the Commonwealth Election Commission in the upcoming 2009 electionNorthern Mariana Islands general election, 2009
Gubernatorial and legislative elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on November 7, 2009.-Election Background:A total of 16,146 voters registered to vote with the Commonwealth Election Commission for the 2009 election. That is a 15% increase in voters compared to the 15,118 people who...
. That is a 15% increase in voters compared to the 15,118 people who registered to vote in the 2005 election
Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election, 2005
The Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election of 2005 were the closest gubernatorial election in history, and resulted in the election of Benigno Fitial as Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Fitial narrowly defeated independent Heinz Hofschneider and incumbent Republican Governor Juan N...
.
Covenant Party
- Benigno R. FitialBenigno R. FitialBenigno Repeki Fitial is the current governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005 and assumed office on January 9, 2006 and was re-elected to a second, five-year term in 2009....
, incumbent Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands (serving since 2006) and former Northern Mariana Islands Representatives (including tenure as Speaker of the House)- Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana IslandsThe Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has a self governing government consisting of a locally elected governor, Lieutenant Governor and the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The current Lieutenant Governor is Eloy Inos, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created when...
Eloy InosEloy InosEloy Songao Inos is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Covenant Party, currently serves as Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was nominated by Governor Benigno Fitial to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lt....
is Fitial's running mate. Inos was appointed and confirmed as Lt. Governor on May 1, 2009, following the resignation of Timothy Villagomez.
- Lieutenant Governor
Republican Party
- Heinz HofschneiderHeinz HofschneiderHeinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
, sitting Northern Mariana Islands RepresentativeNorthern Mariana Islands House of RepresentativesThe Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20...
and former Speaker of the House- Arnold Indalecio Palacios, current SpeakerSpeaker (politics)The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Northern Mariana Islands House of RepresentativesNorthern Mariana Islands House of RepresentativesThe Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20...
, is Hofschneider's running mate.
- Arnold Indalecio Palacios, current Speaker
Defeated in primary:
- Juan N. BabautaJuan N. BabautaJuan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 until January 9, 2006....
, former Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands (serving 2002-2006), former Northern Mariana Islands SenatorNorthern Mariana Islands SenateThe Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts , each a multi-member constituency with three senators.In the November 2007 elections, the three senators up...
(serving 1986-1990), former resident representative to the United States (serving 1999-2002)- Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero, board of education member and Mount Carmel School principal, was Babauta's running mate.
Withdrew
- Diego BenaventeDiego BenaventeDiego Tenorio Benavente is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Benavente, a Republican, served as the Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands under former Governor Juan Babauta from January 14, 2002, to January 9, 2006....
, former Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana IslandsLieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana IslandsThe Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has a self governing government consisting of a locally elected governor, Lieutenant Governor and the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The current Lieutenant Governor is Eloy Inos, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created when...
(2002–2006)
Independents
- Juan "Pan" Guerrero, chairman of the board for the Northern Marianas Retirement Fund (serving 2006-2009); former Northern Mariana Islands Senator (serving 1986-1990) and Representative (serving 1984-1985)
- Joe CamachoJoe CamachoJoseph James Norita Camacho is a Northern Mariana Islands lawyer and politician. He is a Representative in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, as of 2009, and currently serves as the House's floor leader in the 16th Northern Marianas Legislature.Camacho is a candidate for...
is Guerrero's running mate. Camacho is currently a Republican Representative and Floor LeaderFloor LeaderFloor Leaders are leaders of their political parties in each of the houses of the legislature.- Senate :In the United States Senate, they are elected by their respective party conferences to serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and to manage and schedule the legislative and...
of the Northern Mariana Islands House of RepresentativesNorthern Mariana Islands House of RepresentativesThe Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20...
.
- Joe Camacho
- Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero, former Northern Mariana Islands Senator (serving 2000-2004)
- David BorjaDavid BorjaDavid Muna Borja is a Northern Mariana Islands educator, military veteran and politician. Borja, who ran for Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, was the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero in the 2009 gubernatorial election.-Biography:David Borja was...
, a former Education Commissioner, is Guerrero's running mate.
- David Borja
Democratic Party
For the first time in its history, the Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands did not nominate a candidate for Governor in 2009. The only offices which were contested by the Democrats in 2009 were certain seats in the legislature and the mayorship of SaipanSaipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
.
Republican primary
Former Northern Mariana Governor Juan N. BabautaJuan N. Babauta
Juan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 until January 9, 2006....
, a Republican, declared his intention to run for governor and challenge Fitial in January 2009. His running mate was Galvin Deleon Guerrero, a member of the CNMI Board of Education.
Babauta was then defeated in the Republican primary by sitting CNMI Rep. Heinz Sablan Hofschneider, a former Speaker of the House, for the Republican Party nomination. Hofschneider's running mate is CNMI Rep. Arnold Indalecio Palacios, the current Speaker of the House.
Before the Republican primary, which was held on June 27, 2009, Hofschneider and Babauta signed a unity pledge, with each candidate pledging to support the winner of the primary. Hofschneider won the primary on June 27 with about 53% of the votes cast. Hofschneider won at six of the eight precincts. After the results were announced, the candidates convened and embraced; Babauta threw his support to Hofschneider and said that he would accept the people's decision. After Babauta had asked his supporters to vote for Hofschneider in the general election, Hofschneider called Babauta and his supporters "a crucial part of the campaign toward November."
General election campaign
Major election issues included the Commonwealth's faltering economyEconomy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
and the federalization of the Northern Mariana Islands' immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
by the United States government.
Republican Hofschneider and his running mate, Palacios, challenged incumbent Governor Benigno Fitial and his running mate, Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos
Eloy Inos
Eloy Songao Inos is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Covenant Party, currently serves as Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was nominated by Governor Benigno Fitial to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lt....
, in the general election. Former legislator Juan "Pan" Guerrero ran as an independent, with sitting CNMI Rep. Joe Camacho as his running mate. Another former legislator, Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero, campaigned as an independent, with former Education Commissioner David M. Borja as his running mate. The race was widely viewed as a rematch between Fitial and Hofschneider, who was narrowly defeated in 2005.
The gubernatorial candidates focused heavily on the estimated 3,000 Northern Mariana Islanders residing on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mainland
Mainland
Mainland is a name given to a large landmass in a region , or to the largest of a group of islands in an archipelago. Sometimes its residents are called "Mainlanders"...
, many of whom were eligible to vote be absentee ballot
Absentee ballot
An absentee ballot is a vote cast by someone who is unable or unwilling to attend the official polling station. Numerous methods have been devised to facilitate this...
. Three of the four gubernatorial candidates - Governor Fitial, Hofschneider and Juan Pan Guerrero - attended a Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
festival for Northern Mariana Islanders in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, in September 2009. Independent candidate Juan “Pan” Guerrero and his running mate, Joe Camacho, campaigned throughout the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
in August and September. Guerrero and Camacho began campaigning in Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
and Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, before travelling to Seattle, Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, San Francisco, Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, San Diego and Honolulu.
Fitial (C) vs. Hofschneider (R) vs. Juan Pan Guerrero (I) vs. Deleon Guerrero (I)
| Source | Dates Administered | Fitial (C) | Hofschneider (R) | J.P. Guerrero (I) | Deleon Guerrero (I) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Guam | October 27, 2009 | 27% | 27% | 19% | 12% | 16% |
| Marianas Consulting | October 29 - Nov. 4, 2009 | 15% | 29% | 20% | 7% | 22% |
Election day
Polls on election day opened at 7 a.m. on November 7, 2009. Three of the four gubernatorial candidates cast their ballots in the morning at Garapan Elementary School in GarapanGarapan
Garapan is the largest village and the center of the tourism industry on the island of Saipan, which is a part of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ....
, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. Incumbent Governor Benigno Fitial and First Lady Josie Fitial
Josie Fitial
Josepina "Josie" Padiermos Fitial is the current First Lady of the Northern Mariana Islands and the wife of Governor Benigno Fitial...
voted at 7:10 a.m., Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero arrived at the school at 7:20 a.m. and independent candidate Juan Pan Guerrero voted after 9 a.m. Republican candidate Heinz Hofschneider also voted at Garapan Elementary School at 6 p.m. later that day. An estimated 84% of registered voters participated in the election.
In the November 7 general election, Republican challenger Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
received 4,900 votes and incumbent Governor Benigno Fitial received 4,892 votes, therefore both advanced to the runoff election slated for November 23, 2009. A total of 13,784 votes were cast in the first round. Hofschneider led Fitial by just eight votes, the closest gubernatorial election in the history of the Northern Mariana Islands. Independent candidates Juan Pan Guerrero
Juan Pan Guerrero
Juan "Pan" Tenorio Guerrero is a Northern Mariana Islands politician and businessman. He has been a member of the Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands in the past, but is running for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2009 as an independent, with Representative Joe Camacho as...
and Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero came in 3rd and 4th place respectively and, therefore, did not qualify for the second runoff election.
Under a 2009 law signed by Governor Benigno Fitial, a runoff election is required within fourteen days of the if no candidate obtained 50% of the popular vote plus 1. Since neither Fitial nor Hofschneider garnered more than 50% of the vote, a runoff date was set for November 23, 2009.
November 23rd runoff
The Commonwealth Election Commission certified the results of the general election on November 9 and set the date of the runoff election between Fitial and Hofschneider for Monday, November 23. In a November 17 memorandumMemorandum
A memorandum is from the Latin verbal phrase memorandum est, the gerundive form of the verb memoro, "to mention, call to mind, recount, relate", which means "It must be remembered ..."...
, Governor Fitial declared November 23 a legal holiday in the Northern Mariana Islands to encourage voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
.
The candidates qualifying for the runoff on November 23, 2009, were incumbent Covenant Party Governor Benigno Fitial and Republican candidate, Rep. Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
. The incumbent ticket of Fitial-Inos campaigned for re-election on a theme of "proven leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
and proven experience," while the rival Hofscneider-Palacios campaign advocated a "change in leadership" to voters.
Both the Fitial and Hofschneider campaigns reached out to supporters of the independent candidates who did not qualify for the November 23rd runoff, Juan Pan Guerrero
Juan Pan Guerrero
Juan "Pan" Tenorio Guerrero is a Northern Mariana Islands politician and businessman. He has been a member of the Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands in the past, but is running for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2009 as an independent, with Representative Joe Camacho as...
and Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero. The support of these independent voters was considered vital both Fitial's and Hofschneider's candidacies.
Former independent candidate Juan "Pan" Guerrero declined to endorse
Political endorsement
Political endorsement is the action of publicly declaring one's personal or group's support of a candidate for elected office.In the case of a 4 or 5 party system, where one of the parties has a 15 to 20% predicted electoral support, just prior to the election, the official representative of the...
either Fitial or Hofschneider in one-page statement released on November 13, 2009. Instead, Guerrero, who came in third in the gubernatoral election, called on CNMI voters, especially his supporters, to support the candidate who best "represents a better future for themselves, their families, and the Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
." Guerrero further elaborated that, "As soon as it was clear that I would not be in the runoff election, I urged supporters to make their own choices about whom to support-Ben and Eloy or Heinz and Arnold." In his statement, Guerrero noted that he make no further public statements concerning the election before the runoff.
Guerrero running mate in the 2009 election, Joe Camacho, issued his own statement on November 12 endorsing the Covenant Party ticket of Governor Benigno Fitial and Lt. Governor Eloy Inos for re-election. Camacho's brother, Clyde Norita, who was the chairman for the Executive Committee to Elect Juan Pan and Joe Camacho, also endorsed Fitial and Inos.
Former independent candidate Ramon "Kumoi" Deleon Guerrero, who came in fourth place in the general election, endorsed Heinz Hofschneider and Arnold Palacios for governor and lt. governor. Deleon Guerrero cited the wishes of his supporters and support for reforms advocated by Hofschneider, as well as alleged broken promises by the Fitial administration, for his endorsement. He further cited similarities between his own campaign and Hofschneider's messages, "Hofschneider and Palacios have whole-heartedly embraced these visions. They have even taken to heart, our campaign theme of "Time For Change." Deleon Guerrero stated that Fitial had failed to deliver on a number of promises during his term in office, such as economic growth
Economic growth
In economics, economic growth is defined as the increasing capacity of the economy to satisfy the wants of goods and services of the members of society. Economic growth is enabled by increases in productivity, which lowers the inputs for a given amount of output. Lowered costs increase demand...
, improved healthcare and the removal of fuel surcharges.
However, Deleon Guerrero's running mate, former Education Commissioner David Borja
David Borja
David Muna Borja is a Northern Mariana Islands educator, military veteran and politician. Borja, who ran for Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, was the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero in the 2009 gubernatorial election.-Biography:David Borja was...
, endorsed Governor Fitial for re-election. Fitial was also endorsed by the Deleon Guerrero-Borja campaign chairman, Rudy R. Sablan, and seven other senior members of the campaign team.
On December 8, after all ballots had been counted, Fitial was declared the victor in the runoff. He and Inos received 6,610 votes, while Hofschneider and Palacios received 6,240 votes.
Results
| Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election, 2009 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Running mate | First round | Second round | |||
| Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||||
| Republican Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands) The Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. In the 2001 gubernatorial election Juan Babauta of the Republican Party won with 42.8% of the vote... |
Heinz Hofschneider Heinz Hofschneider Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003.... |
Arnold Palacios Arnold Palacios Arnold Indalecio Palacios is a Northern Mariana Islands politician and a member of the Republican Party.Palacios is the current Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives as of October 2009. He was sworn in on January 14, 2008, as the Speaker of the House's 16th Legislature... |
4,900 | 36.27% | 6,240 | 48.56% | |
| Covenant Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands) The Covenant Party is a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands advocating government and financial reform. In the legislative elections of 2003, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. In the 2005 elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the... |
Benigno Fitial (incumbent Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... ) |
Eloy Inos Eloy Inos Eloy Songao Inos is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Covenant Party, currently serves as Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was nominated by Governor Benigno Fitial to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lt.... |
4,892 | 36.21% | 6,610 | 51.44% | |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
Juan Guerrero Juan Pan Guerrero Juan "Pan" Tenorio Guerrero is a Northern Mariana Islands politician and businessman. He has been a member of the Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands in the past, but is running for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2009 as an independent, with Representative Joe Camacho as... |
Joe Camacho Joe Camacho Joseph James Norita Camacho is a Northern Mariana Islands lawyer and politician. He is a Representative in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, as of 2009, and currently serves as the House's floor leader in the 16th Northern Marianas Legislature.Camacho is a candidate for... |
2,613 | 19.34% | |||
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
Ramon Guerrero Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero Ramon "Kumoi" Santos Deleon Guerrero is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Guerrero is an independent candidate for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in the 2009 gubernatorial election.... |
David Borja David Borja David Muna Borja is a Northern Mariana Islands educator, military veteran and politician. Borja, who ran for Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, was the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero in the 2009 gubernatorial election.-Biography:David Borja was... |
1,075 | 7.96% | |||
| Totals | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||
| Voter turnout | |||||||