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General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 20 November 2023, alongside a constitutional referendum. [1] [2]
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All 33 seats in the Nitijeļā | ||||||||||
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General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 20 November 2023, alongside a constitutional referendum. [1] [2]
The 33 members of the Nitijeļā are elected in 19 single-member constituencies via first-past-the-post voting and five multi-member constituencies of between two and five seats via plurality block voting. The President is indirectly elected by the Nitijeļā from among its members. [3]
Complete vote tabulation did not begin until 5 December, due to Marshallese law permitting postal ballots postmarked prior to the election to arrive and be counted up to 14 days after election day. On 27 November, preliminary results not including postal ballots indicated substantial turnover in the Nitijeļā with as many as one third of parliamentary seats turning over to new members, including that of speaker Kenneth Kedi. [4]
On 12 December, the RMI Election Administration issued "final unofficial" results, beginning a 14-day period in which the results can be challenged before being declared "final official". [5] Official results were confirmed on 27 December. [6] Incumbent candidates were defeated in 13 of the 33 seats in the Nitijeļā, confirming the loss of speaker Kedi as well as those of Vice Speaker Peterson Jibas and government ministers John Silk and Casten Nemra. Four women were elected, the most ever. [5]
Majuro candidate Yolanda Lodge-Ned filed a recount petition regarding her loss to Stephen Phillip. Lodge-Ned's petition was rejected by Chief Electoral Officer Ben Kiluwe, Kiluwe arguing that the 17-vote loss was a "wide margin". [6]
| Constituency | Candidate | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailinglaplap (2) | Bruce Loeak | 448 | Elected |
| Issac Zackhras | 412 | Elected | |
| Alfred Alfred, Jr | 381 | Unseated | |
| Rendy Johnny | 258 | ||
| Nuia Loeak | 248 | ||
| Meuton Laiden | 210 | ||
| Francis Horiuchi | 79 | ||
| Bandrik Langidrik | 38 | ||
| Harold Sam | 32 | ||
| Robert Ysawa | 11 | ||
| Ailuk (1) | David Kona Anitok | 219 | Elected |
| Bori Ysawa | 125 | ||
| Ankit Typhoon | 43 | ||
| Arno (2) | Mike Halferty | 671 | Re-elected |
| Gerald Zackios | 374 | Elected | |
| Stevenson Kotton | 274 | ||
| Hinton Johnson | 253 | ||
| Jejwardrick Anton | 247 | ||
| Arthur Jetton | 196 | ||
| Cecelia Takiah Heine | 92 | ||
| Aur (1) | Hilda Heine | 561 | Re-elected |
| Justin Lani | 340 | ||
| Ebon (1) | Marie Milne | 381 | Elected |
| John Silk | 369 | Unseated | |
| Enewetak (1) | Jack Ading | 244 | Re-elected |
| Janifer Alfred | 70 | ||
| Maika Leviticus | 39 | ||
| Jabat (1) | Kessai Note | 165 | Re-elected |
| Whitney Loeak | 120 | ||
| Jaluit (2) | Daisy Alik-Momotaro | 382 | Elected |
| Bilimon Sonny Baikidri Milne | 354 | Elected | |
| Jemi Nashion | 287 | Unseated | |
| Casten Nemra | 260 | Unseated | |
| Joe Lomae | 158 | ||
| Allison Nashion | 136 | ||
| Jerry Nathan | 76 | ||
| Jendrikdrik Paul | 60 | ||
| Jefferson Barton | 45 | ||
| Kili/Bikini/Ejit (1) | Jess Gasper, Jr | 420 | Elected |
| Peterson Jibas | 305 | Unseated | |
| Eldon Note | 129 | ||
| Glann Lewis | 56 | ||
| Kwajalein (3) | David Paul | 878 | Re-elected |
| Kili Kabua | 784 | Elected | |
| Kitlang Kabua | 729 | Re-elected | |
| Lanny Laninaur Kabua | 566 | ||
| Noda Lojkar | 273 | ||
| Abacca Anjain Maddison | 270 | ||
| Junios Malolo Marok | 160 | ||
| Christina Kibin Piamon | 46 | ||
| Lae (1) | Thomas Heine | 171 | Re-elected |
| Morean Watak | 94 | ||
| Lib (1) | Joe Bejang | 428 | Re-elected |
| Stanley Bejang | 15 | ||
| Likiep (1) | Wallace Peter | 121 | Elected |
| Thomas Kijiner, Jr | 121 | ||
| Christopher Debrum | 114 | ||
| James Capelle | 110 | ||
| Frederick Jitto Debrum | 51 | ||
| John Kunar Bungitak | 25 | ||
| Majuro (5) | Kalani Kaneko | 1,878 | Re-elected |
| Tony Muller | 1,539 | Re-elected | |
| Brenson Wase | 1,340 | Re-elected | |
| David Kramer | 1,276 | Elected | |
| Stephen Phillip | 1,232 | Re-elected | |
| Yolanda Laninbit Lodge-Ned | 1,215 | ||
| Patrick Langrine | 891 | ||
| Yoland Jurelang | 886 | ||
| William Ring | 776 | ||
| Mailynn Langinlur Konelios | 701 | ||
| Rebecca Lorennij | 535 | ||
| Isaiah Alee | 506 | ||
| Phillip Muller | 480 | ||
| Austen Jurelang | 402 | ||
| Wilbur Allen | 316 | ||
| Antari Elbon | 266 | ||
| Evelyn Lanki | 262 | ||
| Jason Muller Batol | 155 | ||
| Joseph Rilang | 111 | ||
| Russell Kun | 96 | ||
| Grinalee Mizutani | 82 | ||
| Fugen James Wang | 66 | ||
| Lawrence Muller | 63 | ||
| Yoster John | 62 | ||
| Lee L. Laijo | 50 | ||
| Abner Abo | 47 | ||
| Yoseph David | 45 | ||
| Maloelap (1) | Bruce Bilimon | 320 | Re-elected |
| Salome Andrike Lessep | 297 | ||
| Cathy Saito Lin | 236 | ||
| Christine Capelle Antakbon | 8 | ||
| Jimmy Jacob | 0 | ||
| Mejit (1) | Dennis Momotaro | 176 | Re-elected |
| Helkena Anni | 157 | ||
| Ronald Matthew, Jr | 12 | ||
| Mattur Muller | 7 | ||
| Mili (1) | Wilbur Heine | 392 | Re-elected |
| Elizabeth Lometo Nott | 280 | ||
| Namdrik (1) | Wisely Zackras | 294 | Re-elected |
| Joe Joran Ned | 181 | ||
| Namu (1) | Tony Aiseia | 517 | Re-elected |
| Ace Doulatram | 457 | ||
| Jaclyn Lemari Solomon | 22 | ||
| Rongelap (1) | Hilton Tonton Kendall | 320 | Elected |
| Kenneth Kedi | 235 | Unseated | |
| Robert Anjain | 77 | ||
| Jusie Atdrik Schmidt | 26 | ||
| Ujae (1) | Bremity Lakjohn | 125 | Elected |
| Atbi Riklon | 97 | Unseated | |
| Waylon Muller | 97 | ||
| Carlson Heine | 68 | ||
| Bonnan Enos | 3 | ||
| Utrok (1) | Hiroshi Yamamura | 341 | Re-elected |
| Robin Kios | 121 | ||
| Wotho (1) | David Kabua | – | Re-elected unopposed |
| Wotje (1) | Ota Kisino | 321 | Re-elected |
| Harris Kaiko | 145 | ||
| Que Keju | 80 | ||
| Alson Morris | 4 | ||
| Source: RMI Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs | |||
While elections in the Marshall Islands are officially nonpartisan, most members of the Nitijeļā are part of unofficial groupings. The group supporting the government of President David Kabua suffered losses including several cabinet members, while the group supporting former President Hilda Heine increased its numbers. The new Nitijeļā convened on 2 January 2024 to elect the President, Speaker, and Vice Speaker. [5] Brenson Wase was elected Speaker and Issac Zackhras was elected Vice Speaker. [7]
Incumbent president David Kabua lost to the Opposition candidate and former President Hilda Heine by one vote. Voting took place by secret ballot. [7]
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilda Heine | Opposition | 17 | 51.52 | |
| David Kabua | Government | 16 | 48.48 | |
| Total | 33 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 33 | 100.00 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 33 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 33 | 100.00 | ||
| Source: RNZ [7] | ||||
Kessai Hesa Note is a Marshallese politician who was President of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008.
Marshall Islands elects on the national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a four-year term by the parliament. The Legislature (Nitijela) has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The Legislature was last elected in 2023 without the participation of parties, though part of the members could be members of the United Democratic Party. The Marshall Islands is a state in which political parties have not been active.
The Legislature of the Marshall Islands has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in nineteen single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The last election was November 20, 2023. Elections in the Marshall Islands are officially nonpartisan, but most members of the Nitijeļā are affiliated with one of the four active political parties in the Marshall Islands: Aelon Kein Ad (AKA), Kien Eo Am (KEA), United People's Party (UPP), and United Democratic Party (UDP).
The government of the Marshall Islands operates under a mixed parliamentary-presidential system as set forth in its Constitution. Elections are held every four years in universal suffrage, with each of the 24 constituencies electing one or more representatives (senators) to the lower house of RMI's unicameral legislature, the Nitijela. The President, who is head of state as well as head of government, is elected by the 33 senators of the Nitijela. Four of the five Marshallese presidents who have been elected since the Constitution was adopted in 1979 have been traditional paramount chiefs.
Iroij Litokwa Tomeing was the President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 until October 2009.
Ruben R. Zackhras was a Marshallese politician. He was acting President of the Marshall Islands from 21 October 2009 to 26 October 2009. He previously served as Minister of Finance from 1992 to 1998.
Iroijlaplap Jurelang Zedkaia was a Marshallese politician and Iroijlaplap. He served as the President of the Marshall Islands from 2009 to 2012. He was elected as the country's 5th head of state on October 26, 2009, following the ouster of his predecessor, Litokwa Tomeing, in the country's first successful vote of no confidence.
Christopher Jorebon Loeak is a Marshallese politician who was the President of the Marshall Islands from 2012 to 2016. He was elected by parliament as President in January 2012, following the 2011 general election.
David Kabua is a Marshallese politician who served as President of the Marshall Islands from 2020 to 2024. He has represented Wotho Atoll in the Legislature of the Marshall Islands since 2008 and served terms as Minister of Health and Internal Affairs.
Hilda Cathy Heine is a Marshallese educator and politician who has served as the president of the Marshall Islands since 2024, having previously served from 2016 to 2020. Prior to assuming office, she served as the Minister of Education. She was the first individual from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate degree, and the founder of the women's rights group Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI).
Casten Ned Nemra is a Marshallese politician who was President of the Marshall Islands for 17 days in January 2016. He was elected by the Nitijeļā (Parliament) as President in January 2016, following the 2015 general election, narrowly defeating Senator Alvin Jacklick, a seven-term member of Parliament, by a 17–16 vote. He was the youngest person to hold the job and the second commoner. He was ousted by a vote of no confidence after just two weeks in office by the opposition for jumping ship and joining Iroij Mike Kabua's Aelon Kein Ad party along with Senators Dennis Momotaro and Daisy-Alik Momotaro.
Kenneth Kedi is a Marshallese politician. He was Speaker of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands between 2016 and 2024, having been re-elected in 2020. Kedi is a member of the Kien Eo Ad (KEA) party.
Mattlan Zackhras was a Marshallese politician and government minister. He was a member of the Nitijeļā for Namdrik Atoll since 2004 and was serving as Minister in Assistance to the President of Marshall Islands under President Hilda Heine from January 2016 until his death.
Minister of Assistance to the President of the Marshall Islands is a member in the cabinet of Marshall Islands. The person is appointed by the President from among the members of the Nitijela. The person acts as a substitute for the President of the Marshall Islands as his or her vice president.
General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 18 November 2019. Opponents of President Hilda Heine won a majority of seats.
Events in the year 2020 in the Marshall Islands.
Kitlang Kabua is a Marshallese politician. She was elected to the Legislature of the Marshall Islands (Nitijeļā) for Kwajalein in the 2019 Marshallese general election, receiving 931 votes. She was 28 at the time of her election, making her the youngest person ever elected to the Nitijeļā. Kabua and former President Hilda Heine were the only two women who obtained a seat. She subsequently was appointed Minister of Education, Sports and Training in the cabinet of her uncle President David Kabua. Kabua took her oath of office on 13 January 2020. The formal inauguration of the cabinet took place on 20 January.
Brenson S. Wase is a Marshallese politician and a long-time member of the cabinet and senator in Nitijela.
Events in the year 2024 in the Marshall Islands.
| General elections | |
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| Constitutional Conventions | |
| Referendums | |
