The Commonwealth Election Commission is scrambling to reprint ballots and may have to charter a flight from Guam—at additional cost—to get revised Northern Islands ballots to Saipan in time for early voting this Friday, Sept. 18, after commissioners unanimously agreed to put the constitutional convention question on the Nov. 3 general elections ballot.
CEC executive director Kayla S. Igitol Magofna told Marianas Press after the special meeting last Sept. 16 that the commission has barely a day and a half to get the revised ballots ready.
“So with the day and a half left, I’m probably going to have to charter a flight to have those ballots brought in from Guam,” Magofna said.
The commission voted unanimously to include the question ordered by Gov. David M. Apatang: “Shall there be a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the Constitution?”
“The board all voted to place the question for the Constitutional Convention on the 2026 Election Day ballot,” Magofna said.
She said the original ballot printing cost about $4,000, with additional expenses now expected for reprinting, coding, expedited shipping, and possibly the charter flight.
CEC called the special meeting to take up Apatang’s Executive Order 2026-019, which directed the commission to put the question before voters after the Legislature did not act to place it on the 2026 ballot. The question was last submitted to CNMI voters in the 2014 general election.
Before the commission took up the order, Kingman Legal Services proprietor James Kingman made a public comment. Kingman, who had raised the constitutional requirement in a Facebook post several weeks earlier, said the issue should not be associated with him or any particular agenda.
“The issue is not whether to have a constitutional convention or not. It is whether to ask the question,” Kingman said.
The commission later went into executive session before returning to open session to deliberate and vote on placing the question on the ballot.
Before the vote, board member Mark O. Rabauliman raised concerns about the timing, particularly with Northern Islands early voting beginning Friday.
“I think it’s been a long time coming,” Rabauliman said, but added that he was concerned about “the timeliness of the executive order coming out.”
He said voters should have ample time to digest what appears to be a straightforward question but carries broader implications.
Vice chair Susan R. Babauta, who presided over the meeting, agreed there had been little time for the commission to analyze the order and said the board had to be fair to voters across all districts.
Board member Elsie Tilipao-Rebuenog, meanwhile, pointed to the additional expense.
“I just want the record to reflect that the ballots have already been printed,” she said, noting the commission would have to address funding for another printing.
Magofna told commissioners the initial printing cost $4,176, excluding coding and shipping.
Rabauliman ultimately said he would vote yes despite his concerns, saying it would be a “disservice” to the CNMI if they prevented him from supporting the question. He said putting it before voters could also spur discussion among the Commonwealth’s elders and youth about a path forward.
All six commissioners voted yes.
Participating were chair Jose P. Kiyoshi, representing Tinian and Aguiguan; Babauta, representing Saipan and the Northern Islands; Rabauliman, representing Saipan; Sharon A. Manglona, representing Rota; Tilipao-Rebuenog, representing Saipan; and John Diego Attao, representing Tinian and Aguiguan.
Kiyoshi and Manglona participated by teleconference. Sean Frink served as legal counsel.
With the question approved, the commission then had to figure out how to get it onto ballots with Northern Islands early voting only days away.
After considering several options, the board adopted Magofna’s recommendation to rush the reprinting of 200 Northern Islands ballots with the ConCon question on the back and expedite their delivery to Saipan. The remaining ballots will also be reprinted ahead of early voting for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, which begins Oct. 27.
Magofna also urged voters to read up on the issue before going to the polls.
“Before you come out, maybe read up on it, on the question, because it’s a simple question, but it carries weight,” she said. “So whatever way you answer, understand the way you vote.”
Northern Islands early voting begins Friday, Sept. 18, from 8:30am to 4pm at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multipurpose Center.
Magofna reminded confined Northern Islands voters who cannot physically go to the polls that they can have a family member submit a confined-voter request on their behalf. CEC personnel can then visit the voter’s residence so the person can cast a ballot.
“If you aren’t able to come to the polls, please send a family member so they can fill out a confined request, and we can come to your home and visit you and have you vote there,” Magofna said.
She said confined-voter requests must be submitted by 12pm each day and should include information identifying the voter and a map showing where the voter resides. Voters who go to the polling place should bring a picture ID.
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