TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 6: ELECTIONS
§ 6342. Nominations: Senators and Representatives. Political parties shall nominate their candidates for senator or representative in the manner prescribed in their party rules and regulations and according to the provisions of this Chapter. The political party chairman and secretary shall certify to the Commission the names of the party’s nominees not more than onehundred-twenty (120) days and not less than ninety (90) days before the general election. All certifications of candidates by political parties and independent candidates shall be accompanied by petitions containing the signatures, printed names, residences, and mailing addresses of not less than five percent (5%) or one hundred (100), whichever is less, in the case of a senator, and fifty (50) in the case of a representative, of the registered voters of the respective senatorial or electoral district, as the case may be. Each name certified as a nominee shall be accompanied by the signature of the person nominated, which signature constitutes the nominee’s assent to be a candidate of that political party. The political party may not nominate more candidates than the number of vacancies in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Source: PL 12-18, § 2 (6342); amended by PL 12-55 (6342). Commission Comment: Section 6342 is similar to the former § 6332 (source: DL 5-19, § 13, modified) which was repealed and reenacted by PL 1218, § 2. PL 12-55, which became effective September 20, 2001, included the following findings: Section 1. Findings. The Legislature finds administrative necessity to require that candidates for elected offices within the Northern Mariana Islands file their nominating petitions earlier than the 90 days presently required by Public Law 12-18.