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1970 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands parliamentary election

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Parliamentary elections were held in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands on 3 November 1970.

Electoral system

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The bicameral Congress consisted of a 12-member Senate with two members from each of the six districts and a 21-member House of Representatives with seats apportioned to each district based on their population – five from Truk, four from the Marshall Islands and Ponape, three from the Mariana Islands and Palau and two from Yap.[1]

Elections were held every two years in November of even-numbered years, with all members of the House of Representatives and half the Senate (one member from each district) renewed at each election.

Results

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Senate

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District Elected Member Notes
Marianas Edward Pangelinan
Marshalls Amata Kabua Re-elected
Palau Roman Tmetuchl Previously a Representative
Ponape Ambilos Iehsi
Truk Andon Amaraich Re-elected
Yap Petrus Tun
Source: TTPI

House of Representatives

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District Constituency Elected Member Notes
Marianas 1st District Felipe Atalig
2nd District Carlos Shoda
3rd District Herman Q. Guerrero
Marshalls 4th District Charles Domnick Re-elected
5th District Henry Samuel Re-elected
6th District Ekpap Silk Re-elected
7th District Ataji Balos Re-elected
Palau 8th District Timothy Olkeriil Results annulled
9th District George Ngirarsaol
10th District Tarkong Pedro
Ponape 11th District Joab Sigrah Re-elected
12th District Bethwel Henry Re-elected
13th District Heinrich Iriarte Re-elected
14th District Olter Paul Re-elected
Truk 15th District Raymond Setik Re-elected
16th District Sasauo Haruo Re-elected
17th District Endy Dois Re-elected
18th District Masao Nakayama Re-elected
19th District Hans Wiliander Re-elected
Yap 20th District John Mangefel Re-elected
21st District John N. Rugulimar Re-elected
Source: TTPI, Highlights

Aftermath

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Following the elections, the Progressive Party submitted a petition to annul the election results in Palau, where the Liberal Party had won all four contested seats (Roman Tmetuchl in the Senate and George Ngirarsaol, Timothy Olkeriil and Tarkong Pedro in the House of Representatives).[2] The Progressives claimed that non-registered people had been able to vote, and ballots had been tampered with. A Senate committee subsequently recommended that the election of Tmetuchl be annulled.[3] However, the Senate voted to allow Tmetuchl to take his seat, although the election of the three Palau House of Representatives members was annulled.[4]

When the newly elected Congress met, Bethwel Henry of Ponape was re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives and Amata Kabua of the Marshall Islands was re-elected President of the Senate.[3]

The by-election for the three House of Representatives seats in Palau was held on 30 March, with Polycarp Basilius, Olkeriil and Pedro elected.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Report to the United Nations on the Administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Transmitted by the United States of America United States Department of State, pp173–174
  2. ^ Congress of Micronesia Election Results Highlights, 15 November 1970, p3
  3. ^ a b Electoral dispute in Micronesia Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1971, p32
  4. ^ Some Micronesian unity goes up in smoke Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1971, pp22–23
  5. ^ Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands p196–197