Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Special Election in Pohnpei Underway

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): October 20, 2009 - Today, Pohnpei State will hold a Special Election to fill the vacant At-Large seat in the 16th FSM Congress. The National Election Director Mr. Kimeuo Kimiuo has communicated that the Special Election is ready, and all ballot boxes were picked up by Poll Workers today from various polling places on Pohnpei State. He pointed out that the Outer islands' (Eastern Part) ballot boxes were delivered by the small plane while the Southern Islands' ballot boxes were done by air drop last week by the same plane.

The Election Director is reminding voters that the polling places will be closing at 5:00pm as mandated by PL: 14-76. He said that FSM laws also mandate that counting and tabulation of the ballots boxes shall be started right after closing time (5:00pm) in Pohnpei, except at the Special Polling Places in Guam and Honolulu, where closing time will be 9:30pm. The reporting of results from each polling place to the main Office shall be done immediately, right after the counting and tabulation committee has done the counting of that particular ballot box. It the Election Director's hope the certification and declaration of winning candidate shall be done hopefully by 10/23/09, if everything goes well.