5 minute read
FSM voters return all but two Senators to their seats – two elected Senators are female - Postage slowdown seriously limits receipt and return of mail in ballots
By Bill Jaynes The Kaselehlie Press
March 10, 2023
FSM—On March 7, voters in the FSM went to the polls to select the members of the next FSM Congress. Today, National Election Office Director Ausen T. Lambert transmitted the unofficial results of the election to FSM President David Panuelo. Deputy Director Esmy Musrasrik Panuelo said that the results should be certified by the end of March 13.
Without asking each State’s election office to dig up previous numbers, Deputy Director Panuelo could not quantify the exact difference between the previous year’s elections in terms of quantity of mail-in ballots received but described it as “significantly” fewer. Only 43 mail-in ballots were received for Chuuk. Kosrae mail-ins received were 14, and Pohnpei had 61. Yap had not a single mail-in ballot.
Panuelo said that the National Election Office mailed all requested mail-in ballot forms by the mandated deadline of February 5. However, despite what the FSM’s former Postmaster was told by United Airlines early on after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded Asia Pacific Airlines (APA), the subcontractor to United Airlines to carry the mail and other freight to the FSM, mail delivery HAS been seriously hampered. Jody Colson in Chuuk said that State had received only 24 packages since the FAA grounded APA in early February. Colson is a pastor and not an employee of the Post Office. He has been operating on word of mouth from his contacts at United and at the Post Office and though he is not
authoritative, the issue is a real one. There is no way to be able to determine how the election would actually have turned out had ballots been delivered and received by mail.
The postal slowdown has many worried about many other items people rely on for their daily lives beyond the election, but the current, most tangible evidence that it is a huge problem is the significant decrease in received ballots from what is likely more than a third of FSM’s population living outside of the FSM.
One potential qualified voter in the FSM had planned to vote in his very first FSM election but his ballot never came by mail and so he was deprived of that opportunity. Many others have expressed similar experiences.
The National Election Office followed all rules properly but many say that a change is needed for off-island access to the FSM’s democratic process. The election was observed for its conduct by observers designated by the Pacific Islands Forum.
In Chuuk, with 12,756 votes, Wesley W. Simina won the election for the AtLarge four-year seat over challengers Gillian Doone who won 3,711 votes, and Nakatama Sana who garnered 3,693 votes. Voters from Election District 1, The Mortlock region, decided to return Florencio Singkoro Harper to the two-year seat with a vote of 2,940 over challenger Juan K. Martin who had a vote total of 563. For District 2, the Northern Namoneas, voters returned Victor Vicky Gouland to the two-year seat with a vote of 3,262 over Traniro K. Killion with 277 votes.
The Southern Namaneas region, Election District very closely decided to return Dr. Perpetua S. Konman to the two-year seat with a vote total of 3,572 over Myron S. Hashiguchi’s 3,280. Sitting District 4 Senator Tiwiter H. Aritos ran opposed for the Faichuuk region. Robson U. Romolow will return to Congress for the Northwest region, ED 5 with a vote of 1,155 over challengers’ vote totals of 370 for Ruhlpin Micky, and 580 for Zander Reflong.
Kosrae voters returned sitting Vice President Aren B. Palik to the AtLarge four-year seat with a vote of 1,836 votes over challenger Yoslyn G. Sigrah who had 1,029 votes. Paliknoa Welly ran for the two-year seat unopposed and will be returning to Congress.
In Pohnpei, three challengers ran in opposition to sitting At Large four-year term Senator Peter M. Christian. None were successful and with 4,467 votes, he will return to his seat. Challenger David W. Panuelo had 2,045 votes. Welson Panuel won 2,225 votes. William N. Kostka was the closest to Senator Christian’s total with 3,906 votes. For Election District 1, Merlynn A. Alfonso unseated two-year seat incumbent Ferny S. Perman with a vote total of 2,128 over Perman’s. Alfonso is the first woman that Pohnpei has ever selected to the FSM Congress. Quincy Lawrence came out on top in Election District 2 with a vote of 3,057, unseating incumbent Don G. Neth who had a vote total of 2,064. Senator Esmond Moses’ 2,159 votes will return him to the two-year seat for Election District
3. Contender Erick Paul had a vote total of 1,531.
In Yap, sitting Senator Joseph Urusemal will return to the four-year At Large Seat with a vote of 2,110. Challenger Fidelis T. Fanoway garnered 168 votes. Veteran Senator Issac V. Figir ran unopposed and will be returning to serve as the two-year representative for Yap.
