Palauan presidential election, 2008
Encyclopedia
The Palauan presidential election was held as part of the Palau
an general elections
on November 4, 2008. It was won by Johnson Toribiong
. Incumbent
President
Tommy Remengesau
was ineligible to run because he has served the maximum two terms allowed.
This was the first presidential election in Palau's history in which presidential candidates are running with declared vice-presidential candidates
. In past elections the President and Vice-Presidents were elected separately, and the winners of those elections served as a "national leadership team".
Outgoing President Tommy Remengesau announced that he would run for a seat in the Senate
.
The original four presidential and vice-presidential candidates are as follows:
, Hawaii
, Guam
and the Northern Mariana Islands
.
Toribiong and his running mate, Kerai Mariur, were declared the winner of the election on November 7, 2008, after the final vote tally showed them receiving 4,942 votes. Toribiong defeated Chin, who garnered 4,726 total votes, by just 216 votes. It was reported that Toribiong had received a concession phone call from Vice-President Chin.
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
an general elections
Palauan general election, 2008
General elections were held in Palau on 4 November 2008.- Presidential election :Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau was term limited and could not seek another term...
on November 4, 2008. It was won by Johnson Toribiong
Johnson Toribiong
Johnson Toribiong is a Palauan attorney and politician who is the current President of Palau, following his victory in the November 2008 election.-Background and earlier career:...
. Incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
President
President of Palau
-List of Presidents of Palau:-Latest election:-See also:*Vice-President of Palau*High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands...
Tommy Remengesau
Tommy Remengesau
Thomas Esang Remengesau, Jr. is a Palauan politician who served as president of Palau from 2001 to 2009.He became vice-president in 1992 and was elected as president in 2000; he took office on January 1, 2001. He wished to make Palau less dependent upon United States aid, and to promote limited...
was ineligible to run because he has served the maximum two terms allowed.
This was the first presidential election in Palau's history in which presidential candidates are running with declared vice-presidential candidates
Vice-President of Palau
-List of Vice Presidents of Palau:...
. In past elections the President and Vice-Presidents were elected separately, and the winners of those elections served as a "national leadership team".
Outgoing President Tommy Remengesau announced that he would run for a seat in the Senate
Senate of Palau
The Senate of Palau is the upper house of the Palau National Congress . The Senate has 9 members serving four-year terms in single-seat constituencies. In the elections held on 2 November 2004 only non-partisans were elected. No political parties exist.-Presidents of the Senate:...
.
Candidates
The first round of the election was primary election held on September 23, 2008. Four candidates ran in the election, but only the top two candidates with the most votes qualified for the November 4, 2008 general election.The original four presidential and vice-presidential candidates are as follows:
- Elias Camsek Chin – The incumbent Vice-PresidentVice-President of Palau-List of Vice Presidents of Palau:...
was seeking a promotion to the Palauan presidency. His running mate was Senator Alan R. SeidAlan R. SeidAlan Rechuldak Seid is a Palauan businessman and politician of partially American Jewish origin. He is a member of the senate of Palau. In the 2008 presidential election he was the running mate of Elias Camsek Chin.-References:*...
. - Johnson ToribiongJohnson ToribiongJohnson Toribiong is a Palauan attorney and politician who is the current President of Palau, following his victory in the November 2008 election.-Background and earlier career:...
– He is the current Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan)Republic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, and he was running with DelegateHouse of Delegates of PalauPalau has a bicameral legislature, the Palau National Congress , consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau. The House of Delegates has 16 members, each serving four-year terms in single-seat constituencies. In the last elections, held on 2 November 2004, only non-partisans were...
Kerai Mariur. - Surangel S. WhippsSurangel S. WhippsSurangel S. Whipps is a Palauan businessman and politician. He served as president of the senate of Palau from 2007 to 2009. He is from Airai.-References:*...
– He is the President of the SenateSenate of PalauThe Senate of Palau is the upper house of the Palau National Congress . The Senate has 9 members serving four-year terms in single-seat constituencies. In the elections held on 2 November 2004 only non-partisans were elected. No political parties exist.-Presidents of the Senate:...
and his running mate was Billy Kuartei, the Chief of StaffChief of StaffThe title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
for President Remengesau. - Joshua KoshibaJoshua KoshibaJoshua Koshiba is a 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.- References :*...
– He is a Senator and his running mate was Governor of PeleliuPeleliuPeleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
Jackson Ngiraingas.
Campaigning
All four presidential candidates and their running mates held rallies throughout Palau. Campaigning also took place in overseas Palauan communities in the mainland United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
.
Primary
Elias Chin and Johnson Toribiong were the top two vote-getters in the September 23 primary election. Chin and Toribiong, faced each other in the general election on November 4, 2008.General
The general presidential election, between Toribiong and Chin, was held on November 4, 2008. In early, preliminary results Toribiong held a 130 vote lead over Chin, with 1,629 votes to Chin's 1,499.Toribiong and his running mate, Kerai Mariur, were declared the winner of the election on November 7, 2008, after the final vote tally showed them receiving 4,942 votes. Toribiong defeated Chin, who garnered 4,726 total votes, by just 216 votes. It was reported that Toribiong had received a concession phone call from Vice-President Chin.
| Palauan presidential election, 2008 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Running mate | First round | Second round | ||
| Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Johnson Toribiong Johnson Toribiong Johnson Toribiong is a Palauan attorney and politician who is the current President of Palau, following his victory in the November 2008 election.-Background and earlier career:... |
Kerai Mariur | 2,526 | 27.49% | 4,942 | 51.12% |
| Elias Chin | Alan Seid | 3,027 | 32.95% | 4,726 | 48.88% |
| Surangel Whipps Surangel S. Whipps Surangel S. Whipps is a Palauan businessman and politician. He served as president of the senate of Palau from 2007 to 2009. He is from Airai.-References:*... |
Billy Kuartei | 2,248 | 24.47% | ||
| Joshua Koshiba Joshua Koshiba Joshua Koshiba is a 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.- References :*... |
Jackson Ngiraingas | 1,387 | 15.10% | ||
| Invalid or blank votes | |||||
| Totals | 9,188 | 100.00% | 9,668 | 100.00% | |
| Voter turnout | |||||