VOTER REGISTRATION

Registration Deadline: 60 days prior to a scheduled election. Applications must be received by the CEC Office no later than 60 days prior to the scheduled election, and if by mail, must be postmarked no later than 60 days prior to the scheduled election.

Party Affiliation: Northern Mariana Islands do not record party affiliation on their Voter Registration Affidavits.

VOTER REGISTRATION QUALIFICATIONS

Age: On the date of the election, must be 18 years of age or older

Citizenship: Must be either a citizen or national of the United States

Residency: Must be a resident in the Commonwealth and has resided in the Commonwealth for at least 120 days

Mental Competency: No person who is confined to a mental institution or has been declared by a court to be of unsound mind shall be eligible to vote.

Felony Convictions: Must not be serving a sentence for a felony

ID Requirements: All registrants who have not previously provided the Commission with evidence of their U.S. citizenship or national status are required to do so. You would need to provide the Commission with this evidence once. Evidence of U.S. citizenship status accepted are:

   - Certificate of Naturalization with a picture identification card;

   -Valid U.S. Passport; or

   -A copy of Birth Certificate with a picture identification card

Other Voter Registration Qualifications: If you need further information, please visit the Commonwealth Election Commission (CEC) office in Susupe or contact at (670) 664-VOTE (8683). You may also visit the website at http://votecnmi.gov.mp/ or email executivedirect@votecnmi.gov.mp

OBTAINING A VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

Online: Online Affidavit

In person:You may register to vote by completing an Affidavit of Registration at any of the following:

   -The CEC Office

   -With Commissioners on Tinian & Rota

   -Or by mail, if residing outside the Commonwealth (application must be mailed from outside the Commonwealth)

By mail/ in writing: Download a form and return it to the Commonwealth Election Commission Office(P.O. Box 500470 Saipan, MP 96950-0470 Fax: (670)664-8689)

By fax: The affidavit of registration must be mailed directly to the Commonwealth Election Commission. Facsimile or other electronic means will not be accepted.

Other Voter Registration Application Information: Ensure that your signature on your Affidavit of Registration and Affidavit Questionnaire, your application for absentee voting are the same. The Commission, by law, is required to compare the signatures to ensure that they match. Signatures that do not match may be rejected and the ballots are either not issued or not counted.

VERIFYING YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

Online: Contact the CEC with questions online, or by phone or fax.

ABSENTEE BALLOT QUALIFICATIONS

Who can vote absentee:Any registered voter of the Commonwealth may vote at any election by absentee ballot if he or she feels it likely he or she will be prevented from personally going to the polls in the senatorial district in which he or she is registered to vote and voting on Election Day because of:

   -The conduct of his or her business;

   -The necessity of travel;

   -Attendance at an institution of learning;

   -Serving in the United States Armed Forces or the Merchant Marine;

   -Employment;

   -Training;

   -Receiving treatment at a medical institution;

   -Government representation; or

   -Accompanying a member of the household who is engaged in an activity listed above

Other absentee voter qualifications: An absentee ballot application form must be completed and filed by each voter for scheduled election at least 25 days before an election if done by mail or by the business day prior to the scheduled Election Day.

OBTAINING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Online: Applications are available from the main website starting 80 days before an election.

In person: Return an absentee ballot application form to the CEC office.

By mail: Off-island applicants may download the Application for Absentee Voting on our website and either mail, fax or email the form to the CEC office.

Military and overseas voting: Military and Overseas voters may fill out a normal absentee ballot.

Emergency Voting: If you are hospitalized or unable to go to our polling place on Election Day because of illness or disability, you may request for a confined voting. A relative or friend must request at your polling place, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Election Day, for you to vote at your present location on Election Day.

Other absentee ballot information: Applications must be received 25 days prior to the scheduled election unless submitted in person. In person applications may be received through the business day prior to the scheduled election.

SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Location and time: Absentee ballots must be received by the day before Election Day.

EARLY VOTING

Early voting qualifications: Any registered voter of the Commonwealth may vote early at any election if he/she will be prevented from personally going to the polls and voting on Election Day because of:

   -The conduct of his/her business

   -The necessity of travel

   -Serving in the United States Armed Forces or the Merchant Marine

   -Receiving treatment at a medical institution

   -Government representation

   -Accompanying a member of the household who is engaged in an activity listed above.

Other information for early voting:To vote early in a scheduled election, you must complete an application for early voting at the CEC Office at least 10 days prior to the election (45 days for Northern Island residents). You then will cast your early voting ballot at the designated locations for the early voting period. (CEC Office for Saipan, DPS buildings on Tinian and Rota and CEC Office and Northern Islands for Northern Island residents.) Hours for early voting during this period is 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays.

QUALIFICATIONS

Verifying Registration: Contact the CEC with questions online, or by phone or fax.

Deciding how to vote: http://www.votesmart.org/

Time off to vote: Any voter shall on the day of the election be entitled to be absent from any service or employment in which such voter is then engaged or employed for a period of not more than two hours (excluding any lunch or rest periods) between the time of opening and closing the polls to allow two consecutive hours in which to vote. Such voter shall not because of such absence be liable to any penalty, nor shall there be any rescheduling of normal hours or any deduction made, on account of the absence from any usual salary or wages; provided that the foregoing shall not be applicable to any employee whose hours of employment are such that the employee has a period of two consecutive hours (excluding any lunch or rest periods) between the time of opening and closing the polls when the employee is not working for the employer. If, however, any employee fails to vote after taking time off for that purpose the employer, upon verification of that fact, may make appropriate deductions from the salary or wages of the employee for the period during which the employee is hereunder entitled to be absent from employment.

Polling Place: http://www.votecnmi.gov.mp/downloads/Voters_Pamphlet.pdf

ID Requirements: Each voter shall be required to show photo identification at the poll in order to receive a ballot; if the voter does not have or refuses to produce photo identification, the voter shall fill out an affidavit that includes their name, address and their signature swearing under penalty of perjury as to the truth of the affidavit. 

How to Vote: Voters' Pamphlet

Problems with voting: Contact the CEC with voting problems.