2019 Marshallese general election

Last updated
2019 Marshallese general election
Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg
  2015 18 November 2019 2023  

All 33 seats in the Nitijeļā
 First party
 
Party Independents
Seats after33

Speaker0000000 before election

Kenneth Kedi

Elected
Speaker

Kenneth Kedi

General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 18 November 2019. [1] Opponents of President Hilda Heine won a majority of seats. [2]

Contents

Background

The 2015 elections saw a significant defeat for the government of incumbent President Christopher Loeak, with five cabinet ministers losing their seats. [3] Following the elections, Casten Nemra was elected as President on 4 January 2016 by a margin of one vote. However, he was removed from office two weeks later by a vote of no confidence ending 21–12 in favour of dismissing him. On 27 January 2016 Hilda Heine was elected the country's first female president. [4] She narrowly survived a vote of no confidence on 12 November 2018; the vote was tied at 16–16 as one member of the Legislature was abroad for medical treatment. [5]

Electoral system

The 33 members of the Nitijeļā were 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. [6]

Results

Hilda Heine and Kitlang Kabua were the only two women elected, with Kabua becoming the youngest member ever of the legislature at age 28. [7]

ConstituencyCandidateVotesNotes
Ailinglaplap (2) Christopher Loeak 702Re-elected
Alfred Alfred, Jr 516Re-elected
Isaac Zackhras249
Ailuk (1) Maynard Alfred 188Re-elected
Hackney Takju121
Arno (2) Jiba Kabua 512Elected
Mike Halferty 418Re-elected
Arthur Jetton375
Jejwarick Anton 343Unseated
Aur (1) Hilda Heine 292Re-elected
Justin Lani196
Ebon (1) John Silk 276Re-elected
Neamon Neamon128
Enewetak (1) Jack Ading 282Re-elected
Yoster John60
Jabat (1) Kessai Note Re-elected unopposed
Jaluit (2) Casten Nemra 580Re-elected
Jemi Nashion 446Elected
Daisy Alik-Momotaro 387Unseated
Kili/Bikini/Ejit (1) Peterson Jibas 284Elected
Eldon Note 204Unseated
Kwajalein (3) Michael Kabua 1,217Re-elected
Kitlang Kabua 931Elected
David Paul 817Re-elected
Alvin Jacklick 671Unseated
Lae (1) Thomas Heine Re-elected unopposed
Lib (1) Joe Bejang 321Elected
Whitney Loeak44
Likiep (1) Donald Capelle 318Elected
Tommy Kijiner, Jr.238
Majuro (5) Tony Muller 1,607Re-elected
Stephen Phillip 1,459Elected
Sandy Alfred 1,382Elected
Kalani Kaneko 1,379Re-elected
Brenson Wase 1,268Re-elected
David Kramer 1,242Unseated
Yolanda Lodge-Ned1,225
Maloelap (1) Bruce Bilimon 304Re-elected
Michael Konelios 172
Mejit (1) Dennis Momotaro 287Re-elected
Helkena Anni172
Mili (1) Wilbur Heine 400Re-elected
Joniton Lometo200
Namdrik (1) Wisely Zackhras 258Re-elected
Hebel Luther155
Namu (1) Tony Aiseia 358Re-elected
Ace Doulatram326
Rongelap (1) Kenneth Kedi 339Re-elected
Hilton Tonton Kendall287
Ujae (1) Atbi Riklon 190Re-elected
Waylon Muller96
Utrok (1) Hiroshi Yamamura 303Elected
Amenta Matthew 257Unseated
Wotho (1) David Kabua 120Re-elected
Samantha Samson30
Wotje (1) Ota Kisino 294Elected
John Kaiko200
Source: Info Marshall Islands

Presidential election

Incumbent President Hilda Heine lost to David Kabua, son of the former and longest President Amata Kabua.

CandidatePartyVotes%
David Kabua Opposition2062.50
Hilda Heine Government1237.50
Total32100.00
Total votes32
Registered voters/turnout3396.97

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in the Marshall Islands</span>

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.

Tuvalu elects a legislature on a national level. The Parliament of Tuvalu has 16 members, elected for a four-year term in 8 double-seat constituencies. Tuvalu is a de facto non-partisan democracy since it does not have political parties. The political system is based on personal alliances and loyalties derived from clan and family connections. It does tend to have both a distinct government and a distinct opposition. The 16 members of the current parliament are elected from eight two-seat constituencies via plurality block voting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legislature of the Marshall Islands</span> National legislature of the Marshall Islands

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of the Marshall Islands</span> Legislative, executive, and judicial powers of the Marshall Islands

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Litokwa Tomeing</span> Former President of the Marshall Islands

Iroij Litokwa Tomeing was the President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 until October 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruben Zackhras</span> Marshallese politician (1947–2018)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jurelang Zedkaia</span> Marshallese politician (1950–2015)

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.

Parliamentary elections were held in Tuvalu on 16 September 2010. Voters elected fifteen members of the Parliament to a four-year term. All candidates were independents, as there are no political parties in the country. Ten out of the fifteen incumbent members were re-elected. The remaining five incumbents, including Deputy Prime Minister Tavau Teii, did not retain their seats. The incumbent Prime Minister, Apisai Ielemia, retained his seat in Vaitupu constituency. On 29 September, Maatia Toafa from Nanumea won eight of the fifteen votes to become Prime Minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Loeak</span> Marshallese politician

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Kabua</span> Marshallese politician; Former President of the Marshall Islands (2020-2024)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hilda Heine</span> Marshallese politician

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Marshallese general election</span>

General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 16 November 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casten Nemra</span> Marshallese politician

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Kedi</span> Marshallese politician

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mattlan Zackhras</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amenta Matthew</span> Marshallese politician

Amenta Matthew is a Marshallese politician. She was a member of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands from 2007 to 2011 and from 2015 to 2019, representing the electorate of Utrik. She was Minister of Health under Presidents Litokwa Tomeing and Jurelang Zedkaia from 2008 to 2011 and Minister of Internal Affairs under Hilda Heine from 2016 to 2019. She was the second woman in the Marshall Islands to serve as a government minister.

Events in the year 2020 in the Marshall Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitlang Kabua</span> Marshallese politician

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Marshallese general election</span>

General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 20 November 2023, alongside a constitutional referendum.

References

  1. Current Elections Pacific Women in Politics
  2. Marshalls' Opposition poised to win election Radio New Zealand, 25 November 2019
  3. Big upset in Marshall Islands election Radio New Zealand, 5 December 2015
  4. Heine Election Ends Weeks Of Political Turmoil In RMI Archived 2016-02-04 at the Wayback Machine Pacific Islands Report, 29 January 2016
  5. Marshall Islands president narrowly survives no confidence vote Radio New Zealand, 12 November 2018
  6. Electoral system IPU
  7. Johnson, Giff (20 January 2020). "Marshalls' President Kabua's inauguration set for Monday". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020.