Guam Election Commission Executive Director Maria Pangelinan says the Yona mayoral vacancy will be filled by a special election.
Even if the override of the governor’s veto had succeeded Tuesday, a special election would still have been necessary, said Pangelinan.
That’s because the Municipal Planning Council can only act to appoint a temporary mayor if the vacancy in the mayor’s office occurs within 240 days of a general election.
Pangelinan said Blas resigned last Thursday. When the GEC meets tomorrow night and officially declares a vacancy, that will still be outside the 240-day limit.
“If the vacancy is inside 240 days there will be no election. If the vacancy is outside or more than 240 days, then there is still an election. That all depends on the meeting of the Guam Election Commission come Thursday, February 6th,” Pangelinan said.
Pangelinan said that the earliest possible date for a special election would be March 28, but that is up to the commission to determine at their meeting on Thursday.
The GEC still needs the money to pay for a special election and they have submitted a supplemental budget request with the legislature to cover the roughly $22,000 that it will cost.
##
