GEC board votes to keep ballot as-is

by Lannie Walker

Guam - The Guam Election Commission on Thursday afternoon held a special board meeting to discuss the Decision 2010 Primary Election ballot format. The discussion was sparked by a suggestion by the legal counsel of the Calvo-Tenorio gubernatorial team to use separate ballots.  The intent to eliminate the possibility of crossover voting.

Democratic Party representative Mike Phillips advised members not to consider the change to the ballot form, calling it "a grave mistake".  Attorney Phillips told the Commission any change should only come from the separate political parties.  The Commission's legal counsel Cesar Cabot advised the board that the primary elections were for the benefit of the party and said he did not find sufficient reason to change the ballot form.

Calvo-Tenorio attorney Tom Fisher said the issue is one of improving the system so that voters are not disenfranchised. Board member Martha Ruth suggested to Fisher that might be best accomplished by public education.

In the end, all board members present voted against the motion to separate the ballots. The ballots for the 2010 Primary Election will thus remain in its original form.