2020 Palauan general election

2020 Palauan general election

3 November 2020

Presidential election

Nominee Surangel Whipps Jr. Raynold Oilouch Party Independent Independent Popular vote 5,699 4,351 Percentage 56.71% 43.29%

Vice Presidential election

Nominee Uduch Sengebau Senior Frank Kyota Party Independent Independent Popular vote 5,112 4,671 Percentage 52.25% 47.75%

President before election Tommy Remengesau Independent President after election Surangel Whipps Jr. Independent

General elections were held in Palau on 3 November 2020 to elect a President and the National Congress.[1][2]

Electoral system

The President of Palau is elected using the two-round system.[3]

The 13 members of the Senate are elected from a single nationwide constituency by block voting, with each voter having 13 votes to cast.[4] The 16 members of the House of Delegates are elected in single-member constituencies based on the states using first-past-the-post voting.[5]

Results

President

The primary round was held on 22 September 2020 with four candidates.[6][7] The incumbent president, Thomas Remengesau Jr., was ineligible to stand again having reached his term limit.[8] Former presidential candidate (and brother-in-law of the incumbent) Surangel Whipps Jr. took first place in the primary, while Vice President Raynold Oilouch placed second to qualify for the second round of the presidential election.

Following the second round on 3 November, Oilouch conceded defeat to Whipps on 5 November after all the votes from Palau had been counted, giving Whipps a 1,202 vote lead with around 2,000 absentee votes still to be counted.[9] The Palau Election Commission officially certified the final results on 17 November.[10]

Candidate	Primary		General
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Surangel Whipps Jr.	3,546	46.30	5,699	56.71
Raynold Oilouch	1,984	25.91	4,351	43.29
Johnson Toribiong	1,145	14.95
Alan R. Seid	983	12.84
Total	7,658	100.00	10,050	100.00
Valid votes	7,658	98.76	10,050	98.49
Invalid/blank votes	96	1.24	154	1.51
Total votes	7,754	100.00	10,204	100.00
Registered voters/turnout	16,420	47.22	16,754	60.90
Source: MBJ, MV, Island Times

Vice president

Candidate	Votes	%
Uduch Sengebau Senior	5,112	52.25
Frank Kyota	4,671	47.75
Total	9,783	100.00
Valid votes	9,783	95.87
Invalid/blank votes	421	4.13
Total votes	10,204	100.00
Registered voters/turnout	16,754	60.90
Source: Island Times

Senate

Candidate	Votes	Notes
Mason Whipps	7,099	Elected
Steven Kuartei	6,965	Elected
Andrew Tabelual	6,696	Elected
Mark Rudimch	5,684	Elected
Rukebai Inabo	5,652	Elected
Hokkons Baules	5,594	Elected
K. Topps Sungino	5,496	Elected
TJ Imrur Remengesau	5,475	Elected
Umiich Sengebau	5,468	Elected
Jonathan Isechal[11]	5,384	Elected
Kerai Mariur	5,278	Elected
Secilil Eldebechel	4,792	Elected
Regis Akitaya[12]	4,715	Elected
Aric Nakamura	4,547
Phillip Reklai	4,184
Salvador Tellames	4,082
Rebluud Kesolei	4,006
Joann Risong Tarkong	3,678
Elias Camsek Chin	3,584
Seit Andres	2,586
Alexander Merep	2,333
John Skebong	2,123
Eugene Termeteet	2,089
Moses Y. Uludong	1,553
Francis Llecholch	1,139
John Mengidab	1,088
Blodak Quichocho	692
Ismael Remoket Muchucheu	333
Source: Psephos

House of Delegates

State	Candidate	Votes	Notes
Aimeliik	Warren Umetaro	—	Elected unopposed
Airai	Vicky Kanai	—	Elected unopposed
Angaur	Mario Gulibert	214	Elected
	Olkeriil Kazuo	144
Hatohobei	Sebastian Marino	—	Elected unopposed
Kayangel	Noah Kemesong	264	Elected
	Midas Ngiracheluolu	114
Koror	Mengkur W. Rechelulk	—	Elected unopposed
Melekeok	Frutoso Toto Tellei	335	Elected
	Lentcer Basilius	311
Ngaraard	Gibson Kanai	614	Elected
	Jerome Esebei Temengil	231
Ngarchelong	Timothy Sinsak	522	Elected
	Dilmai Saiske	388
Ngardmau	Lucio Ngiraiwet	157	Elected
	Fermin Meriang	151
Ngaremlengui	Swenny Ongidobel	296	Elected
	Portia Franz	227
Ngatpang	Lee Otobed	212	Elected
	Jersey Iyar	197
Ngchesar	Sabino Anastacio	270	Elected
	Rebecca Sebalt Ngirmechaet	156
Ngiwal	Masasinge Arurang	237	Elected
	Ellender Ngirameketii	230
Peleliu	Nace Soalablai	284	Elected
	Joseph Mtoched Giramur	233
Sonsorol	Yutaka Gibbons Jr	—	Elected unopposed
Source: Psephos

References

1. "Remengesau to exit Palau political arena after 2020". Pacific Island Times. 28 December 2018.
2. "Republic of Palau 11th General Election". Palau Election Commission. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
3. Palau IFES
4. "IPU PARLINE database: PALAU (Senate), Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 2019-08-25. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
5. "IPU PARLINE database: PALAU (House of Delegates), Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 2018-02-13. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
6. "Four candidates seek the presidency in Palau elections in 2020". January 19, 2020. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
7. "Palau goes to the polls for primary elections". RNZ. 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
8. "Palauans vote on new political era". RNZ. 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
9. Carreon, Bernadette (2020-11-05). "Oilouch concedes defeat to Whipps". Island Times. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
10. Carreon, Bernadette (2020-11-20). "Palau Election Commission officially certifies election results". Island Times. Archived from the original on 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
11. Died in 2023, succeeded by Lentcer Basilius
12. Died in 2022, succeeded by Salvador Tellames