2019 Micronesian parliamentary election

Politics of the Federated States of Micronesia
Constitution President: David W. Panuelo Vice President: Yosiwo George Congress State Governors Chuuk: Kosrae: Pohnpei: Yap: Recent elections Parliamentary: 2015 2017 2019 Foreign relations
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Parliamentary elections were held in the Federated States of Micronesia on 5 March 2019, alongside a referendum on calling a Constitutional Convention. All 14 seats in Congress were up for election, and all 13 incumbents standing for re-election were returned to Congress.^[1]

A majority of voters voted in favour of calling a Constitutional Convention, which was subsequently elected on 5 November 2019.^[2]

Electoral system[]

The 14 members of Congress were elected by two methods; ten are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting for two year terms. Four were at-large Senator, with one elected from each state for a four-year term.^[3]

Following the elections, the President and Vice-President are elected by the Congress, with only the four at-large Senators allowed to be candidates.^[3]

Unlike a constitutional referendum, which requires 75% of the vote in three of the four states to vote in favour in order for the proposal to be approved, referendums on calling constitutional referendums require only a simple majority of the vote.^[4]

Campaign[]

A total of 32 candidates were originally registered to contest the elections,^[5] although Chuuk Electoral District 1 candidate Mithasy Mark later dropped out, leaving to run unopposed.^[1] Former President Joseph Urusemal was the only candidate for the Senatorial seat in Yap State, whilst ran unopposed in Electoral District 2 in Chuuk State.^[5]

Referendums[]

A national referendum was held alongside the parliamentary election in which voters were asked whether they were in favor of calling a constitutional convention.^[6]

An independence referendum was scheduled to be held in Chuuk State on the same day, but was postponed.

Results[]

Congress[]

Referendum[]

The referendum proposal was approved by 61% of voters overall. A majority was in favour in Kosrae and Pohnpei, but it was rejected in Chuuk and Yap.^[7] However, as an overall majority of voters approved the proposal, a Constitutional Convention was elected on 5 November 2019.

By state[]

References[]