Parliamentary elections were held in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands on 5 November 1974.[1] Carmen Bigler became the first female member of Congress after being elected to House of Representatives from the Fifth District of the Marshall Islands.[1]
Electoral system
editThe bicameral Congress consisted of a 12-member Senate with two members from each of the six districts and a 21-member House of Representatives with seats apportioned to each district based on their population – five from Truk, four from the Marshall Islands and Ponape, three from the Mariana Islands and Palau and two from Yap.[2]
Elections were held every two years in November of even-numbered years, with all members of the House of Representatives and half the Senate (one member from each district) renewed at each election.
Results
editTwelve incumbent members of Congress were defeated, including Marianas Senator Edward Pangelinan, Truk Senator Andon Amaraich, Marianas representative Felipe Atalig and Marshallese representative John Heine, who was unseated by Bigler.[3]
Senate
edit| District | Elected Member | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marianas | Pedro Agulto Tenorio | |
| Marshalls | Amata Kabua | Re-elected |
| Palau | Roman Tmetuchl | Re-elected |
| Ponape | Ambilos Iehsi | Re-elected |
| Truk | Nick Bossy | |
| Yap | Petrus Tun | Re-elected |
| Source: Highlights, Highlights | ||
House of Representatives
edit| District | Constituency | Elected Member | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marianas | 1st District | Jose Mafnas | |
| 2nd District | Herman Guerrero | ||
| 3rd District | Oscar Rasa | ||
| Marshalls | 4th District | Charles Domnick | Re-elected |
| 5th District | Carmen Bigler | ||
| 6th District | Ekpap Silk | Re-elected | |
| 7th District | Ataji Balos | Re-elected | |
| Palau | 8th District | Kuniwo Nakamura | |
| 9th District | Polycarp Basilius | Re-elected | |
| 10th District | Isidoro Rudimch | ||
| Ponape | 11th District | Joab Sigrah | Re-elected |
| 12th District | Bethwel Henry | Re-elected | |
| 13th District | Resio Moses | Re-elected | |
| 14th District | Edgar Edwards | ||
| Truk | 15th District | Raymond Setik | Re-elected |
| 16th District | Sasauo Haruo | Re-elected | |
| 17th District | Chiro Albert | ||
| 18th District | Lambert Aafin | ||
| 19th District | Kalisto Refonopei | ||
| Yap | 20th District | Luke M. Tman | Re-elected |
| 21st District | John Haglelgam | ||
| Source: Highlights, Highlights | |||
Aftermath
editFollowing the elections, Tosiwo Nakayama was re-elected President of the Senate, whilst Bethwel Henry was re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.[4]
The election of three members – Lambert Aafin, Chiro Albert and Edgar Edwards – was challenged, with claims of irregularities. The Credential Committee recommended overturning the election of Aafin, ordering a by-election and launching a criminal investigation into the officials involved in the case. However, in a secret ballot, members of Congress voted to allow Aafin to take his seat by a vote of 9–8.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b First Woman Wins Seat in Election Highlights, 15 November 1974, p1
- ^ Report to the United Nations on the Administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Transmitted by the United States of America United States Department of State, pp173–174
- ^ New faces in Micronesian Congress Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1974, p9
- ^ First Session of the Sixth Congress Convenes on Saipan Highlights, 15 January 1975
- ^ War claims grumble Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1975, p81