Palauan presidential election, 2008

Palauan presidential election, 2008
Palau
November 4, 2008

 
Nominee Johnson Toribiong Elias Camsek Chin
Party Independent Independent
Popular vote 4,942 4,726
Percentage 51.12% 48.88%

President before election

Tommy Remengesau
Independent

Elected President

Johnson Toribiong
Independent

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The Palauan presidential election was held as part of the Palauan general elections on November 4, 2008. It was won by Johnson Toribiong. Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau was ineligible to run because he has served the maximum two terms allowed.

This was the first presidential election in Palau's history in which presidential candidates are running with declared vice-presidential candidates.[1] In past elections the President and Vice-Presidents were elected separately, and the winners of those elections served as a "national leadership team".[1]

Outgoing President Tommy Remengesau announced that he would run for a seat in the Senate.[1]

Candidates

The first round of the election was primary election held on September 23, 2008. [1] Four candidates ran in the election, but only the top two candidates with the most votes qualified for the November 4, 2008 general election.

The original four presidential and vice-presidential candidates are as follows:

Campaigning

All four presidential candidates and their running mates held rallies throughout Palau. Campaigning also took place in overseas Palauan communities in the mainland United States, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.[1]

Results

Primary

Elias Chin and Johnson Toribiong were the top two vote-getters in the September 23 primary election. Chin and Toribiong, faced each other in the general election on November 4, 2008.[2]

General

The general presidential election, between Toribiong and Chin, was held on November 4, 2008. In early, preliminary results Toribiong held a 130 vote lead over Chin, with 1,629 votes to Chin's 1,499.[3]

Toribiong and his running mate, Kerai Mariur, were declared the winner of the election on November 7, 2008, after the final vote tally showed them receiving 4,942 votes.[4] Toribiong defeated Chin, who garnered 4,726 total votes, by just 216 votes.[4] It was reported that Toribiong had received a concession phone call from Vice-President Chin.[4]

Palauan presidential election, 2008[2][4]
Candidate Running mate First round Second round
Votes Percentage Votes Percentage
Johnson Toribiong Kerai Mariur 2,526 27.49% 4,942 51.12%
Elias Chin Alan Seid 3,027 32.95% 4,726 48.88%
Surangel Whipps Billy Kuartei 2,248 24.47%
Joshua Koshiba Jackson Ngiraingas 1,387 15.10%
Invalid or blank votes
Totals 9,188 100.00% 9,668 100.00%
Voter turnout

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Miho, David (2008-09-20). "Palauans Prepare For Tuesday Primary Election". Pacific Magazine. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Miho, David (2008-10-01). "Absentee Ballots Don't Change Outcome Of Palau Presidential Primary". Pacific Magazine. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  3. Miho, David (2008-11-05). "Toribiong Has The Lead In Palau Presidential Vote". Pacific Magazine. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Miho, David (2008-11-07). "Johnson Toribiong Wins Palau Presidential Race". Pacific Magazine. Retrieved 2008-11-06.