1979 Micronesian general election

1979 Micronesian parliamentary election

27 March 1979 1981  →
All 14 seats in Congress
Elected President Tosiwo Nakayama

Parliamentary elections were held in the Federated States of Micronesia on 27 March 1979. ^[1] All candidates for seats in Congress ran as independents.

Electoral system

The 14-member Congress consisted of four at-large members (one from each state) elected for four-year terms, and ten other members elected for two-year terms. ^[2]

Results

State	Seat	Elected member
Kosrae	Four-year	Joab Sigrah
	Two-year	Hirosi Ismael
Ponape	Four-year	Bailey Olter
	Two-year	Peter M. Christian
		Bethwel Henry
		Elias Thomas
Truk	Four-year	Tosiwo Nakayama
	Two-year	Julio Akapito
		Masachiro Christlip
		Sasauo Gouland
		Kalisto Refolopei
		Raymond Setik
Yap	Four-year	Petrus Tun
	Two-year	Luke Tman
Source: Highlights

Aftermath

Following the elections, the newly elected Congress met for the first time on 10 May. Bethwel Henry was elected Speaker. Members of Congress subsequently elected Tosiwo Nakayama as the first President of Micronesia, with Petrus Tun elected vice-president. This led to both vacating their seats in Congress. In the subsequent by-elections on 13 June, Koichi Sana was elected to the four-year seat in Truk and John Haglelgam (a write-in candidate) was elected in the four-year seat in Yap. ^[3]

References

1. Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p638 ISBN   0-19-924959-8
2. CFSM Candidates Declared Highlights, 1 March 1979, p2
3. FSM Congress Organized Highlights, June 1979, p6