The Commonwealth Election Commission will commence voter registrations consistent with the provision of NMI Constitution Article XVIII (5) (c).

This constitutional provision states that “[i]n the case of a proposed amendment to Article XII of this Constitution, the word ‘voters’ as used in subsection 5(a) above shall be limited to eligible voters under Article XII who are also persons of Northern Marianas descent as described in Article XII, Section 4, and the term ‘votes cast’ as used in subsection 5(b) shall mean the votes cast by such voters.”

Article XII (4) of the NMI Constitution defines a person of Northern Marianas descent as “a person who is a citizen or national of the United States and who is of at least one-quarter Northern Marianas Chamorro or Northern Marianas Carolinian blood or a combination thereof or an adopted child of a person of Northern Marianas descent if adopted while under the age of eighteen years. For purposes of determining Northern Marianas descent, a person shall be considered to be a full-blooded Northern Marianas Chamorro or Northern Marianas Carolinian if that person was born or domiciled in the Northern Mariana Islands by 1950 and was a citizen of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands before the termination of the Trusteeship with respect to the Commonwealth.

Article XII of the NMI Constitution requires that the acquisition of permanent and long-term interests in real property within the Commonwealth shall be restricted to persons of Northern Marianas descent.

Eligibility to register to vote pursuant to NMI Constitution Article XVIII (5) (c) requires that a registrant be a registered voter, meaning that the registrant meets all the eligibility requirements of 1 CMC § 6205, and that the registrant satisfy the definition of NMI Constitution Article XII (4). Voter registration pursuant to NMI Constitution Article XVIII (5) (c) is not a substitute for voter registration in general.

Voter registration for NMI Constitution Article XVIII (5) (c) requires the attestation that the registrant meets registration requirements and requires the signature of the registrant under penalty of perjury.

Eligible individuals may register at the Commission’s office at Susupe, Saipan or with Commissioner Joe Kiyoshi and Commissioner Donald Hofschneider on Tinian or with Commissioner Lelanie Manglona and Ms. Josepha Barcinas on Rota.

The link for the registration form should be on the left hand side of this page. Complete the form as you do the regular voter registration and mail it back to the Election Commission at P. O. Box 500470, Saipan, MP, 96950-0470.

Please write the Commission at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the Commission’s office at (670) 664-VOTE(8683) if you have any need for more information.