It took Electoral Administration staff 20 hours of non-stop work from Tuesday morning to early Wednesday to sort, review and approve or reject all incoming postal ballots. The tabulation of postal ballots was scheduled to begin about 5pm Wednesday at the ICC in Majuro.
Chief Electoral Officer Robson Almen said Electoral tabulators would begin by counting the postal ballots for Majuro, Utrik, Kwajalein, Namdrik, Likiep, Maloelap, Kili, and Ailinglaplap, and then continue on with all the others.
On Monday December 1, the Electoral Administration released the final, unofficial domestic vote results.
Ujae’s Nitijela race is the closest of all senate races in the country, with four candidates within 14 votes of each other based on final, unofficial tabulation of all domestic votes. Waylon Muller is leading with 73 votes, Atbi Riklon is close behind with 69, Danny Heron has 68 and incumbent Caios Lucky is at 59.
Other Nitijela races to watch where domestic results could be affected by the postal ballots (results for multiple seat contests do not include the highest vote getters, if these are beyond a 100-vote margin):
• Ailinglaplap: Alfred Alfred, Jr. is leading incumbent Ruben Zackhras 468-410.
• Arno: Mike Halftery is leading incumbent Jiba Kabua 469-374.
• Jaluit: Daily Alik Momotaro is leading incumbent Rien Morris 399-341.
• Kili/Bikini: In this open seat, Eldon Note (247) is leading over Hinton Johnson (196) and Alson Kelen (195).
• Maloelap: Bruce Bilimon is leading incumbent Michael Konelios 381 to 297.
• Mejit: Incumbent Dennis Momotaro is leading Helkena Anni, 270-215.
• Namdrik: Incumbent Mattlan Zackhras is leading Amatlain Kabua, 269-159.
• Namu: Incumbent Tony Aiseia is ahead of Ace Doulatram, 409-345.
• Rongelap: Incumbent Kenneth Kedi is leading Hilton Tonton Kendall, 283-240.
• Utrik: Challenger Amenta Matthew is ahead of incumbent Hiroshi Vitus Yamamura, 348-286.
For full unofficial domestic results for council candidates, see this week’s Marshall Islands Journal. To subscribe, see information at right.