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General elections were held in Palau on 1 November 2016 to elect a President and the National Congress. [1] Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau was challenged by his brother-in-law, Surangel Whipps Jr. for the presidency, [2] emerging as the top two in the primary elections on 27 September. [2] Remengesau was subsequently re-elected with 51% of the vote. [3]
The President and Vice President were elected using the two-round system. [4] The 16 members of the House of Delegates were elected in single-member constituencies based on the states using first-past-the-post voting. [5] The 13 members of the Senate were elected from a single nationwide constituency by block voting, with each voter having 13 votes to cast. [6] The number of senators elected to the Palau National Congress was planned to be reduced to 11 from the previous 13 for the 2016 general election, but this decision was reversed. [7]
Four candidates had declared their intention to seek the presidency in 2016, including Remengesau, who was seeking re-election.
The deadline to file nominating petitions for a presidential run was 3 August. [9]
President Tommy Remengesau declared his candidacy for re-election on 1 March at a campaign kick-off held at the Ngarachamayong Cultural Center. [10] Senator Surangel Whipps Jr., who began campaigning for president in 2015 and announced his candidacy earlier in the year, became the first candidate to file his candidacy with the Palau Elections Commission Office on 20 July 2016. [9] [11] Sandra Pierantozzi, the former vice president under Remengesau, was the only woman to enter the race. [8]
A presidential debate with all four candidates was held on 17 August 2016, at the Palau Community College (PCC). The debate was jointly sponsored by the Palau Media Council and the Palau Community College. [12]
The presidential primaries were held on 27 September, with Remengesau and Whipps Jr. finishing as the top two to advance to the general election on 1 November. [2] Following their losses in the primaries, Sandra Pierantozzi and Antonio Bells both endorsed Whipps Jr. [13]
Early results released on 2 November initially showed Whipps leading with 1,832 votes, with incumbent President Remengesau trailing with 1,667 votes. [7] However, by 4 November, Remengesau had regained a slim lead with 4,108 votes, while Whipps trailed by just 78 votes, or 4,030 votes. [14] The election was decided by the absentee ballots, [14] which the Palau Election Commission said would be counted after 8 November. [14] Elenita Bennie Brel, the administrator of the national Election Service, announced that final results for the presidential would not be known until later in November, since absentee and provisional ballots would be sorted and counted in the presence of representatives of both presidential campaigns. [14] Bennie Brel explained, "We want to make this election very fair and transparent for everyone who has concern and wants to come in. So after November 8 the counting of the absentee ballots and then it takes another 15 days for the board [of the electoral commission] to certify them." On 10 November it was announced that Remengesau had been re-elected. [15]
| Candidate | Primary | General | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Tommy Remengesau | 4,949 | 50.41 | 5,129 | 51.32 |
| Surangel Whipps Jr. | 3,762 | 38.32 | 4,865 | 48.68 |
| Sandra Pierantozzi | 833 | 8.48 | ||
| Antonio Bells | 274 | 2.79 | ||
| Total | 9,818 | 100.00 | 9,994 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 15,890 | – | ||
| Source: President of Palau, Palau Embassy | ||||
| Candidate | Primary | General | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Raynold Oilouch | 4,553 | 46.70 | 5,222 | 52.92 |
| Yositaka Adachi | 3,001 | 30.78 | 4,646 | 47.08 |
| Mlib Tmetuchl | 2,195 | 22.52 | ||
| Total | 9,749 | 100.00 | 9,868 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 15,890 | – | ||
| Source: President of Palau, Palau Embassy | ||||
| Candidate | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Kuartei | 7,050 | Elected |
| Frank Kyota | 6,561 | Elected |
| Mason Whipps | 6,409 | Elected |
| Aric Nakamura | 6,337 | Elected |
| Mark Rudimch | 5,805 | Elected |
| Hokkons Baules | 5,200 | Elected |
| Phillip Reklai | 5,168 | Elected |
| Uduch Sengebau Senior | 4,997 | Elected |
| Elias Camsek Chin | 4,744 | Elected |
| Rukebai Inabo | 4,680 | Elected |
| Regis Akitaya | 4,647 | Elected |
| Kerai Mariur | 4,533 | Elected |
| John B. Skebong | 4,450 | Elected |
| Alan T. Marbou | 4,285 | |
| Faustina K. Rehuher-Marugg | 3,917 | |
| Alan R. Seid | 3,749 | |
| Steven Kanai | 3,643 | |
| Seit Andres | 3,343 | |
| Satoru W. Adachi | 3,277 | |
| Santy Asanuma | 3,237 | |
| Surech Bells Hideyos | 2,480 | |
| Joan Risong Tarkong | 2,469 | |
| Rebecca Sebalt Ngirmechaet | 2,364 | |
| Gregorio Ngirmang | 2,185 | |
| Source: Palau Embassy | ||
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aimeliik | Marino O. Ngemaes | 472 | Elected unopposed |
| Airai | Victoria Ngiratkakl Kanai | 604 | Elected unopposed |
| Angaur | Mario S. Gulibert | 173 | Elected unopposed |
| Hatohobei | Sebastian R. Marino | 65 | Elected |
| Wayne Andrew | 55 | ||
| Kayangel | Noah Kemesong | 230 | Elected unopposed |
| Koror | Mengkur W. Rechelulk | 1,284 | Elected |
| Alexander Merep | 1,104 | ||
| Melekeok | Lentcer Basilius | 301 | Elected |
| Kevin Mesebeluu | 161 | ||
| Ngaraard | Gibson Kanai | 498 | Elected |
| Dwight G. Alexander | 230 | ||
| Ngarchelong | Dilmai J. Saiske | 316 | Elected |
| Lily Ulitech | 203 | ||
| Masao Salvador | 156 | ||
| Ngardmau | Lucio Ngiraiwet | 143 | Elected |
| Fermin R. Meriang | 134 | ||
| Ngaremlengui | Swenny Ongidobel | 239 | Elected |
| Portia Klong Franz | 215 | ||
| Ngatpang | Lee T. Otobed | 234 | Elected unopposed |
| Ngchesar | Sabino Anastacio | 292 | Elected unopposed |
| Ngiwal | Masasinge Arurang | 149 | Elected |
| Jeff R. Ngirarsaol | 107 | ||
| Francis Llecholch | 80 | ||
| Eugene Termeteet | 74 | ||
| Krispin Termeteet | 65 | ||
| Peleliu | Jonathan Isechal | 300 | Elected |
| Joseph Mtoched Giramur | 224 | ||
| Sonsorol | Yutaka Gibbons Jr. | 107 | Elected |
| Celestine T. Yangilmau | 68 | ||
| Source: Palau Embassy | |||
Thomas Esang "Tommy" Remengesau Jr. is a Palauan politician; in 2013 he was elected the ninth president of Palau and was re-elected to that office in 2016. Previously he served as the seventh president of the island nation from 2001 to 2009. He served as a Senator in the Palau National Congress between his two administrations. In sum, Remengesau was elected Vice-President of Palau in 1992 and 1996, then president in 2000, 2004, 2012 and 2016.
Thomas Ongelibel Remengesau, also known as Thomas Remengesau Sr., was a politician in Palau. He was Vice President of Palau from 1985 to 1988, and acting President of Palau in 1985 and President of Palau from 1988 to 1989 following the violent deaths of two previous presidents.
Elias Camsek Chin is a Palauan politician. He served as the Vice President of Palau from 1 January 2005 to 15 January 2009. He was elected as the president of the Senate of Palau from 16 January 2013 to 19 January 2017.
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Joshua Koshiba is a former member of the Senate of Palau. After his re-election in 2004, he became the longest-serving member of that body in the history of Palau. Koshiba was elected seven consecutive terms as Senator from 1980 to 2008.
Surangel S. Whipps is a Palauan businessman and politician. He served as the president of the Senate of Palau from January 2005 to April 2005, and from 25 April 2007 to 15 January 2009, and as the speaker of the House of Delegates of Palau from January 1993 to November 1996. He was born in Airai.
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Surangel S. Whipps Jr. is a Palauan businessman and politician, who has served as the president of Palau since 2021. He served as senator from 2008 to 2016. He is from Ngatpang state, Republic of Palau. Whipps assumed office as the President of Palau on 21 January 2021.
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General elections were held in Palau on 3 November 2020 to elect a President and the National Congress.
General elections are scheduled to held in Palau on 12 November 2024 to elect a President and the National Congress.
Valerie Esang Whipps is a Palauan stateswoman who has been First Lady of Palau since 21 January 2021.
The following lists events that happened during 2021 in the Republic of Palau.
| Presidential elections | |
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| Parliamentary elections | |
| Referendums | |
