HILARY HOSIA
Eligible Marshallese voters residing overseas will have the opportunity to cast their votes ahead of the November 20 National Election Day following the sending off of 1,135 postal ballots on Tuesday.
Officials from the Electoral Office and Marshall Islands Postal Services have been working meticulously after hours at the International Conference Center since last week to ensure postal ballots are validated and ready for shipment.
According to Chief Electoral Officer Ben Kiluwe, his office received 1,946 postal applications to date as of Wednesday. And of that figure, only 1,222 are in the vetting process.
Kiluwe also reported his office has over 1,473 unopened emails yet to be processed and inputed into the system. “We are anticipating more incoming postal requests,” Ben told the Journal. Eligible voters have until November 6 to request postal ballots and resubmit flawed applications. No applications will be accepted after the November 6 deadline, stressed Kiluwe. CEO Kiluwe encourages Marshallese overseas to cast their votes as soon as they receive the official postal ballots. Each postal package includes an instructional letter, an affidavit and prepaid postal envelope to send the ballot home. Postal Ballots will continue to be shipped overseas on United Airlines and APA flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until the November 6 deadline.