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.
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.
General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 3 November 2007, concurrently with a double referendum. The Republican Party won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives, and both referendums were approved.
A two-part referendum was held in Guam on 4 August 1979. A proposed new constitution was rejected by 82% of voters, whilst a law introducing the death penalty was rejected by 53% of voters. In August 1987 a referendum was held on another proposed constitution, with each chapter voted on separately. Two chapters were rejected by voters, resulting in a second referendum in November in which both were approved.
A referendum on the territory's status was held in Guam on 4 September 1982. It was held after a referendum in January had resulted in none of the options presented to voters receiving a majority in favour. This time only two options, becoming a US commonwealth or a US state, were offered to voters, with 73% voting in favour of the former. However, the territory has still not achieved commonwealth status.
An unofficial referendum on integration of Northern Marianas with Guam was held in Saipan in June 1958. Though the proposal was approved by nearly 64% of voters and the Guam Legislature adopted Resolution No. 367 requesting the US Congress to integrate the governments, the United States did not integrate the islands.
An unofficial referendum on integration with Guam was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 27 October 1963. Although the proposal was approved by voters, the islands were not integrated.
A referendum on the islands' status was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 5 February 1961. Although 65% of voters supported integration with Guam, the United States did not integrate the islands.
A referendum on the islands' status was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 9 November 1969. For the fourth time since 1958 a majority of voters supported integration with Guam. However, a referendum held in Guam on 4 November on integration with the Northern Mariana Islands had been rejected by 58% of Guamanian voters.
A referendum on becoming a US commonwealth was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 17 June 1975. The proposal was approved by 79% of voters. As a result, the United States Congress approved the change of status on 24 March 1976.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 March 1977. The new constitution was approved by 93% of voters and came into force on 9 January 1978.
A referendum on holding a Constitutional Convention was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 5 November 1983. The proposal was approved by voters. A subsequent 44-part referendum on constitutional amendments was held in 1985.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 2 November 2010, alongside the election for the islands' representative to the United States House of Representatives. Voters were asked whether they approved of three proposed amendments to the constitution. All three were rejected.
A three-part referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 November 1993. Voters were asked whether they approved of two constitutional amendments regarding collective land ownership of native islanders and the veto powers of the Governor, and whether a Constitutional Convention should be elected. All three proposals were approved by voters.
A referendum on increasing the budget of the Legislature was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 4 November 1995. The proposal was rejected by voters.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 November 1995. Voters were asked whether they approved of two proposed amendments to the constitution; one limiting the rights to vote on constitutional amendments that affected land ownership to native islanders, and one on establishing an Office of Finance to regulate the spending of the Legislature. The first proposal was approved by voters and the second rejected.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 November 2012, alongside the election for the islands' representative to the United States House of Representatives. Voters were asked whether they approved of three proposed amendments to the constitution. All three were approved.
A nineteen-part referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 2 March 1996. Voters were asked whether they approved of constitutional amendments of each chapter, with a separate vote on each. All amendments were rejected.
A 44-part constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 3 November 1985.
The Marianas archipelago of the Northern Pacific contains fourteen islands located between Japan and New Guinea on a north–south axis and Hawaii and the Philippines on an east–west axis. Inhabitants were Spanish nationals from the 16th century until the Spanish–American War of 1898. As Guam became a territory of the United States the Northern Marianas were sold to Germany in 1899. The Northern Mariana Islands were a German protectorate until 1919, when they became part of the South Seas Mandate, administrated by Japan. At the close of World War II, the Marianas became part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1975, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands became a self-governing territory. In 1986, the Marianas came under the sovereignty of the United States when the trusteeship ended and US nationality and citizenship was conferred on the inhabitants of the territory.
