The process to get a new mayor of the village of Yona started today as candidate packets were made available at the Guam Election Commission. According to GEC Executive Director Maria Pangelinan before 9:30 this morning at least seven people had officially expressed interest to run for the position to replace jailed Yona Mayor Jesse Blas amid his legal troubles in federal court.

Pangelinan stresses that Yona mayoral candidates who already filed or picked up packets to run in the primary election but plan to run in the special election, they cannot use the same nominating petitions, they must re-submit them. Interested candidates have until Feb. 27 to file.

Meanwhile introduced today was Bill 286 which would appropriate $28,000 to the GEC for the special election which is scheduled for Saturday, March 28th