The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is an unincorporated territory and commonwealth of the United States consisting of 14 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The CNMI includes the 14 northernmost islands in the Mariana Archipelago; the southernmost island, Guam, is a separate U.S. territory. The Northern Mariana Islands were listed by the United Nations as a non-self governing territory until 1990. The Northern Marianas were part of U.N. Trust after WW2, previously they had been under the control of the Spanish (1500s-1899), the Germans (1899-1914), and the Japanese (1914-1944); in the late 20th century they eventually settled on joining the United States. This process was completed in the late 20th century and recognized internationally, and the people of the Northern Marianas became United States citizens by their choice in 1986. They have one Federal representative in Congress. The other U.S. Pacific territories with significant populations are Guam, American Samoa, and Hawaii. The population of the Northern Mariana's is several times smaller than the U.S. States, so its representation is handled differently, in that they have more autonomy with Governor and congress, but less participation in the Federal government. They are U.S. Citizens with free movement around the United States and have access to many federal programs, but don't pay federal income tax. The Northern Marianas are near to but separate from Guam which became a part of the USA since 1898. Together Guam, CNMI, American Samoa, and Hawaii represent Pacific peoples of the United States tying together many of assets such as marine reserves, atolls, and islands dotting the Pacific.
Saipan is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Census Bureau, the population of Saipan was 43,385, a decline of 10% from its 2010 count of 48,220.
The Covenant Party was a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) advocating governmental and financial reform. It was named after the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, Act of Mar. 24, 1976, Pub. L. 94-241, 90 Stat. 263, codified as amended at 48 U.S.C. § 1801 note. In the legislative elections of 2003, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. The party mostly made up of members from the Republican Party, but many prominent Democrats would also join the party. In the 2005 general elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the strongest parties in the Commonwealth when Benigno R. Fitial, the party's gubernatorial candidate, won the election. The Covenant Party won seven of eighteen seats in the commonwealth's House of Representatives and three of nine seats in its Senate. In the Commonwealth Legislature 2007 elections, the Covenant Party won only four of twenty seats in the House of Representatives.
Benigno Repeki Fitial is a Northern Marianan politician who served was the seventh governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. The second longest-serving governor in CNMI history, Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005, assumed office on January 9, 2006, and was re-elected to a (five-year) second term in 2009. He was impeached by the CNMI House of Representatives on February 11, 2013, and was scheduled to face trial before the CNMI Senate to determine if he should be removed from office. He resigned on February 20, 2013, after 7 years, 1 month, and 11 days in office.
The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts, each a multi-member constituency with three senators.
The 2009 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, November 7, 2009. This was the last general election to be held on a odd year. This election also saw the extension all office holding officials by one year to move the elections to even-years, corresponding with the elections of other federal and state offices, including the nationwide United States House of Representatives elections and the United States general elections. This election also oversaw the first run-off to be held in the Northern Mariana Islands, which were held on Monday, November 23, 2009.
Francisco Castro Ada was a Northern Mariana Islander politician who served as the first lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 9, 1978 to January 11, 1982, under Carlos S. Camacho, the territory's first governor.
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.
Edward Taylor Buckingham, III is a former Attorney General of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
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.
Joey Patrick San Nicolas is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) who served as Mayor of Tinian. He previously served as Attorney General.
General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on November 4, 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 Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, a run-off election was held 14 days later. Incumbent Republican Governor Eloy Songao Inos and running mate Ralph DLG. Torres were elected. Inos, who served as lieutenant governor from 2009 to 2013, first became Governor following the resignation of his predecessor, Benigno Fitial.
Juan Borja Tudela was a Northern Mariana Islander politician and community leader. Tudela was a member of the 14th session of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives and two-term mayor for the island of Saipan, the capital and largest municipality in the Northern Mariana Islands, serving from January 2002 to January 2010.
The recreational and medicinal use of cannabis in the Northern Mariana Islands has been legal since September 2018. House Bill 20-178 was signed into law by Gov. Ralph Torres, becoming Public Law 20-66. The cannabis legalization bill was introduced as the "Taulamwaar Sensible CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018," named in honor of David Kapileo Peter or Taulamwaar, who advocated cannabis legalization over four years ago. The first dispensary opened to the public on July 16, 2021.
Victor Borja Hocog is a Northern Marianan politician. He served as the President of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate from January 14, 2019 to January 11, 2021, and previously from January 12, 2015 to December 29, 2015. He also served as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from December 29, 2015 to January 14, 2019.
Edward Eladio Manibusan is a Northern Marianan politician serving as the Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands since January 12, 2015 and previously from July 1, 1989 to January 8, 1990. He is the first elected attorney general; previous AGs were appointed by the governor.
Janet Ulloa Maratita is a politician from the Northern Mariana Islands and former member of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives.
The NMI Museum of History and Culture, also known as the NMI Museum, is a museum in Garapan, Saipan hosting exhibitions about the Chamorro and Carolinian people and also displays artifacts, documents, textiles, and photographs from the Spanish, German, Japanese, and American periods in the Northern Mariana Islands. The museum has repatriated a significant number of historic objects from the Marianas that were held nationally and internationally in private collections and by foreign museums, companies, and militaries. More than one million dollars has been invested in its collections. The historical buildings on the grounds have been renovated to preserve them, prevent further deterioration, and safeguard visitors. The museum is located across from Sugar King Park.
