Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the Governor is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. The Northern Mariana Islands is an unincorporated territory of the United States, and in a political union with it in the form of a commonwealth. Executive power is exercised by the governor. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Local government is carried out through three regional mayors.
General elections were held in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on Saturday, 5 November 2005, electing the governor and Legislature. There was also a referendum on calling a Constitutional Convention, which was approved by voters. The gubernatorial election was the closest in the commonwealth's history, and resulted in the election of Benigno Fitial, narrowly defeating independent Heinz Hofschneider by 84 votes and incumbent Republican Governor Juan N. Babauta by an additional 98 votes. This would be the last year that the gubernatorial race would work in a first-past-the-post voting system as it would be reformed to work under a two-round system for the 2009 general elections. This election made commonwealth history by electing both the territory's first Carolinian governor and its first third party governor.
The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is the territorial legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The legislative branch of the territory is bicameral, consisting of a 20-member lower House of Representatives, and an upper house Senate with nine senators. Representatives serve two-year terms and senators serve four-year terms, both without term limits. The territorial legislature meets in the commonwealth capital of Saipan.
The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.
The Northern Mariana Islands' first election of a delegate to the United States House of Representatives took place on November 4, 2008. Since the CNMI traditionally had general elections in odd-numbered years, the November 2008 ballot contained only this office.
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan is a Northern Mariana Islander politician and former election commissioner. Elected in 2008, Sablan became the first delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Sablan is the only Chamorro member of Congress.
The 2010 Congressional election in the Northern Mariana Islands occurred on November 2, 2010 and elected the territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives. Representatives and non-voting Delegates are elected for two-year terms; the elected will serve in the 112th Congress from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013.
The 2012 Congressional election in the Northern Mariana Islands was held on November 6, 2012 to elect the territory's sole Delegate to the United States House of Representatives. Representatives and non-voting Delegates are elected for two-year terms.
General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 4 November, 2014. Voters elected the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Delegate to the US Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, mayors, municipal councils and the Board of Education. Additionally, a referendum involving changes to the constitution was held.
The 2014 Congressional election in the Northern Mariana Islands was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the territory's sole Delegate to the United States House of Representatives. Representatives and non-voting Delegates are elected for two-year terms. Incumbent Delegate Gregorio Sablan, who has held the seat since its creation in 2009, was re-elected.
The 2016 congressional election in the Northern Mariana Islands was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, to elect the territory's sole Delegate to the United States House of Representatives.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands was held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, to elect the territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives in the 116th United States Congress. Delegate Gregorio Sablan was re-elected to his sixth term as Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Northern Mariana Islands' at-large district.
The 2018 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Tuesday, 13 November, 2018, corresponding with the 2018 United States midterm elections. Originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 6 November, 2018, the elections were delayed by one week due to the impact and aftermath of Typhoon Yutu. Early voting was held from Tuesday, 6 November, until Monday, 12 November, 2018. An estimated 18,975 voters were eligible to vote in the 2018 election.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, to elect the territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives in the 117th United States Congress. The Delegate, who is elected to a two-year term, represents the Northern Mariana Islands' at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, to elect the territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives in the 118th United States Congress. The Delegate, who is elected to a two-year term, represents the Northern Mariana Islands' at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 2022 Northern Mariana gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022 to elect the governor of the Northern Mariana Islands and the lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands to a four-year term in office. Because no candidate received 50% of the vote in the general election, the two highest-placing candidates advanced to a runoff election on November 25, 2022.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives election in the Northern Mariana Islands will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to elect the territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives in the 119th United States Congress. The Delegate, who is elected to a two-year term, represents the Northern Mariana Islands' at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 8 November, 2016. Voters elected the Delegate to the US Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, mayors, municipal councils, the Board of Education, and judge retention. The election coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including the nationwide 2016 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2016 United States general elections.
The 2020 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Tuesday, 3 November, 2020, corresponding with the elections of other federal and state offices, including the nationwide 2020 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2020 United States general elections. This election oversaw the return of the CNMI Democratic Party as a major force in CNMI politics for the first time in a decade. 2020 also saw the first time a party was able to challenge the CNMI Republican Party since the Covenant Party was dissolved in 2013. Four incumbent representatives that were elected as independents announced that they would run for re-election as Democrats while another independent aligns with the party. Prior to the 2020 election, the Democrats had not won a legislative seat since their last wins in the 2007 general elections. The result of the 2020 general election was that the CNMI had experienced a blue wave, with the Democrats controlling nearly half the house and adding a member to the senate. The Republicans lost the trifecta it held since the 2016 Northern Mariana Islands general election and the single-party system it held since 2013. Voter turnout was at 72.05%, lower than the previous general elections election years of 2018, which was 77.4%, and 2014, which was 76.7%.
The 2022 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Tuesday, 8 November, 2022, corresponding with the elections of other federal and state offices, including the nationwide 2022 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2022 United States general elections. A runoff for the gubernatorial race were held on Friday, 25 November, 2022. This election saw the election of the CNMI's first independent governor and lieutenant governor. Both the CNMI Democratic Party and the CNMI Republican Party displayed lackluster results when compared to the independents in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives. This election also saw the first time the Democratic Party contested the governorship since the 2014 Northern Mariana Islands general election and the first time said party received more than 10% of the popular vote since the 2005 Northern Mariana Islands general election.
