by Michele Catahay

Guam - While Matt Rector was re-elected to serve as president of the Guam Federation of Teachers for the next three years, Carol Somerfleck isn't giving up. The former union steward plans on challenging the results of the election, which took place last Friday.

Over the weekend, votes were tabulated to determine who would sit as the next president of GFT. An election of officers took place last Friday and Rector, the current president, was declared the winner. In addition, the rest of the incumbents will also remain in office.

But Somerfleck, who also ran for president, says she will not concede. "There are some concerns that we had encountered and our observers have encountered and that in the past, things that have happened that should've been in place such as the committee being set prior to July 1, 2010 and all the documents related to elections should've already been ready to the executive council as per our constitution," she told KUAM News.

These issues will be outlined in a letter, which Somerfleck plans on submitting the election committee tomorrow. "We want to make sure these people need to know, whoever is in there, regardless if it's Matt Rector, the four at-large officers, or new ones. You are accountable to the constitution and they need to follow it," she said.

While Rector had said the last election took place about three years ago, Somerfleck contends that the last one took place more than six years ago. She says changes in the constitution have not allowed for one to take place.

In the Meantime, Rector says he's happy that members have voted him in for another three years. "It really feels good," he shared. "We didn't campaign. We didn't get out into the schools. We didn't do anything. We figured at this point, our members know who and what we are and we just let it run. It's nice that they blessed me with their votes and think I should still be their president.

Rector reacted to Somerfleck's intent to protest, saying, "I hope she takes this energy she has created and the supporters and machinery she created to win for our members and their families and get involved in the union."

In the meantime, she says she stands ready to move forward. "We will follow timelines and we will put in our challenge," she said.

A GFT membership meeting is scheduled to be held this evening at the Mangilao compound where Somerfleck is expected to discuss and bring up the issues surrounding the election.