by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - After issues were raised regarding how to include an independent candidate on the primary election ballot, it appears a non-partisan candidate is now requesting they cancel her uncontested primary. During the Guam Election Commission's board meeting Wednesday night, members took to the floor to discuss the final ballot design for the primary election.

"We're finalizing the ballot with the changes that were made and approved in the meeting last night and we'll send to the printer," noted Maria Pangelinan, executive director of the Guam Election Commission.

The meeting stemmed after issues surfaced regarding how to place Independent candidates on the primary ballot which eventually was resolved through legislation. It was critical that the ballot design was approved in order to send out primary ballots under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act by July 18.

The ballot design will feature three columns - one for Democrat, Republican and Independent - each with one line for a write-in candidate.

The board meanwhile changed the wording of the instructions on the ballot to be simpler and to ensure no cross-over votes took place following over 4,800 crossover votes in the 2010 primary election. And while one issue has been resolved, another suggestion has been raised by incumbent public auditor Doris Flores Brooks. Brooks, who is seeking reelection in an uncontested race, has requested that GEC cancel her election in the primary for practicality reasons.

Brooks says after learning how the current law requires the GEC to print and tabulate a separate ballot for the public auditor race for every registered voter - over 47,000 as of this month. She says canceling her election in the primary would save the government one dollar per ballot. "While it's only $50,000 there, every opportunity that we can avoid costs, this is to me is an unnecessary cost for the people of the Guam and the voters of Guam," she explained.

The GEC meanwhile has said its hands are tied on the issue because of specific sections of Guam law. And while it exempts the primary election to be canceled where there are no contest in other races such as the mayoral, senatorial, and gubernatorial elections, it doesn't apply to non-partisan elections such as the public auditor race.

She has since written Speaker Judi Won Pat on the issue to amend the existing law to say whether any office go uncontested that they go directly to the general election. "I think that would be a very practical area and it's just not for my position, but any position that is uncontested," she explained.

The GEC meanwhile has informed Brooks that as it stands, until and if lawmakers address the request, she will remain on the ballot. "They brought up the history of the law that is in place right now, so I will go back and look at it. But we all know that based on the current law, she's going to be in the primary election and the general election," said Pangelinan.

Won Pat's office told KUAM News that it's been in consultation with legislative legal counsel Therese Terlaje, who is requesting legal review of the law to come up with recommendations with how the Legislature can move forward with this request.