CNMI Democrats invite voters, candidates ahead of 2026 elections

The Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands is kicking off preparations for the 2026 election cycle with a call for voter participation and new candidates to step forward.

Marking National Voter Registration Week, Democratic Party vice chair Stephen Woodruff and national committeewoman Leila Fleming Staffler urged eligible residents to register to vote and for aspiring leaders to file their notice to run.

“We want to, we do absolutely as Democrats, but even more so as citizens. We want to encourage everyone who isn't registered to vote to register. Civic engagement is very important. The success of our community and our nation depends on people participating in the electoral process, becoming informed, and doing all of those things. And, in fact, we would especially emphasize, because a lot of, you know, a lot of people are becoming of age, the youthful ones, and they really should register to vote as soon as they are eligible to register to vote,” Woodruff said.

He also noted that anyone who turns 18 on or before Election Day 2026 can already register. Voter registration is ongoing through the Commonwealth Election Commission in Susupe, and candidates must file their petitions by Aug. 7, 2026.

Staffler, who currently serves as CNMI Secretary of Labor, stressed that civic engagement goes beyond the ballot box.

“When you need to run, or if you want to run for office, you need to make sure that you get your petition signed before the last day to submit for certification, which is Aug. 7. The different positions have different requirements of how many signatures that you need to get, and so don't forget to make sure you make time for that. We want to encourage people not only to register to vote, but also to consider running for office,” she said.

Party leaders confirmed that several Democratic incumbents, including Sen. Celina R. Babauta, vice speaker Rep. Diego Vincent Camacho, and Rep. Denita C. Yangetmai, plan to seek re-election. Staffler herself said she has decided against a Senate run and instead will pursue a House seat in Precinct 5, where she first launched her political career.

“I do intend to run, but I have actually reconsidered which position I wanted to run in or run for. I was really looking at all of the bills that I had been emailing myself over the course of the last year, and I realized most of them, many of them, relate to revenue-related ideas, and so because of that, I knew that it would be important that I go back to the House,” she said.

Woodruff, meanwhile, contextualized the party’s local push within broader concerns about national politics. He criticized what he described as the "erosion of norms under the Trump administration, citing a severe breakdown of the rule of law and growing polarization in Washington.

Staffler added that the political climate in the U.S. has created “a chilling effect,” but stressed that island residents should focus on making an impact at home.

“We have to look forward and see how we can make a difference within our own communities. If we always look at making sure that we register to vote, get knowledgeable about the issues, and make our voice be heard, you can really make a difference in your community and collectively throughout, you know, our United States with territories included,” she said.

Staffler added as territories, everyone must work together to see how they can have a different voice as a collective in territorial issues and matters.

“While we are very different, a lot of the issues that we face are similar with respect to the challenges of shipping, the challenges of labor, the challenges of just being a territory guided by policies that are oftentimes cookie cutter and applied to everyone across the board where our situations maybe have more nuances and need to have more consideration for how they can affect us as a whole. Especially because our economies are very tenuous and delicate with respect to global matters. Right now, I sometimes feel so powerless over the global things that are happening, affecting our economy,” she said.

The Democrats recently relocated their headquarters to the Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe, where they plan to continue outreach efforts leading up to 2026.

For more information on voter registration and election requirements, residents can visit votecnmi.gov.mp.