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Nomination Petition Open for Chuuk State

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): November 12, 2002 - Chuuk State has announced the availability of its nomination petition for candidacy to the March 2003 election.

Open September 4^th, the nomination petition will close on December 4, 2002.

Nomination petition can be filed by two methods:

• Sponsorship: Voters may file, with their printed names and signatures, a nomination petition for a candidacy of their choice declaring the name and eligibility of their candidate and the specific office sought within the specific precinct or representative district. And they must provide proof of his/her eligibility.

• Self Declaration: The Candidate himself may file his own candidacy declaring he is running for a specific office within a specific representative district and also declaring his eligibility and providing proof of his eligibility.

Eligibility of a candidate follows existing criteria.

Filing affidavits to vote at another polling place is open ninety (90) days prior to election (November 4^th, 2002) and closes seven days before election day (February 26^th, 2003).

Absentee ballot request is open sixty (60) days prior to election day and return ballot must be sent directly to the main office of the election commission no later than the closing time of the polls on election day.