Palau’s Election Day Nears: (original) (raw)

Key Voting Details and Updates

By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang

Koror, Palau — With Palau’s national election approaching next Tuesday, November 5, the Palau Election Commission (PEC) has mailed 2,913 absentee ballots as of Wednesday, following an October 29 deadline for absentee ballot requests.

PEC Executive Director Sherwin Yamanguchi confirmed that 396 completed absentee ballots have been received, including four ballots returned by the post office. Yamanguchi explained that the returns might have been due to errors in the addresses provided by voters or the nonexistence of the listed addresses.

For confined voters, PEC received 287 ballot requests. While the ballot request deadline for confined voters was also October 29, PEC will continue accepting requests from confined voters living outside of Koror and Airai until noon on Election Day, November 5. The voting period for confined voters in Koror and Airai is now closed. Yamanguchi noted that PEC will begin processing votes from confined voters starting Saturday, November 2.

On Election Day, polling stations across Palau, except for Koror and Airai, will be centralized at the national gym. Specific polling locations by state include:

  1. Kayangel – Bai
  2. Ngarchelong – Ngarchelong Elementary School Cafeteria
  3. Ngaraard – Ngaraard State Office
  4. Ngiwal – Labek
  5. Melekeok – Bailechesau
  6. Ngchesar – Office of Ngchesar Council of Chiefs, next to the State Office
  7. Ngardmau – Bai
  8. Ngeremlengui – Old Age Center
  9. Ngatpang – Ngatpang State Office Summer House
  10. Aimeliik – Ngerkeai Community Center
  11. Peleliu – State Office
  12. Angaur – Old Age Center

For Airai, voters will cast their ballots at Ked Center. Koror state polling locations include:

  1. Ngermid – Taoch ra Mechang
  2. Ngerkesoaol – Taoch ra Nandeng
  3. Ngerchemai – Bai ra Ngerchemai
  4. Iyebukel, Meketii, Idid – Maris Stella Auditorium
  5. Medalaii, Ikelau, Dngeronger – National Gym
  6. Ngerbeched – Bai ra Ngedechibel
  7. Meyuns – Youth Center
  8. Ngerkebesang – Summer House across Bai

According to Palauan law, polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Alcohol sales are prohibited on Election Day, which is also observed as a public holiday known as National Democracy Day.