2004 Guam general election

General elections were held in Guam on November 2, 2004 in order to elect all 15 members of the legislature, the federal delegate, mayors of 14 cities, vice mayors of three cities, the public auditor, the Consolidated Commission on Utilities, two judges of the Superior Court, running for retention and the Guam Public Education Policy Board. Voters also voted on the President of the United States although the territory sent no representatives to the electoral college. There was also a referendum on allowing gambling, which was rejected by voters.[1]

Background

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In the United States territory of Guam, elections to the Legislature and multi-member boards are run via open primary (This following the outlawing of the previous blanket primary similar to Louisiana).[2]

Both the Public Auditor and Consolidated Commission on Utilities are required to be nonpartisan and as such candidates are not allowed to state affiliations or list them on the ballot.[3][4]

In the case of the Auditor, affiliating with a party is grounds for disqualification.[4]

Campaign

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A total of 30 candidates ran for 15 seats in the Legislature, with both the Democratic and Republican parties nominating a full slate.

The Guam Bar Association conducted an internal survey to determine feelings towards the two judges running for retention. Both were given strong marks of approval by the less than 100 members.[5]

During the run-up, "Proposition A", the gaming/gambling legalization measure received significant coverage. A group called "Citizens for Economic Diversity" proposed it.

Legislative candidates

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2004 Guam legislative election
 
← 2002 November 2, 2004 2006 →

All 15 seats of the Legislature of Guam
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Mark Forbes Ben Pangelinan
(lost re-election)
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat At-large district At-large district
Last election 6 seats 9 seats
Seats won 9 6
Seat change   3   3

Speaker before election

Ben Pangelinan
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Mark Forbes
Republican

Democratic candidates

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Republican candidates

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  • Joanne M. Salas Brown (I)
  • Vincent Cristobal Camacho
  • Michael W. "Mike" Cruz
  • Bertha Mesa Duenas
  • Edward J. Baza Calvo
  • Christopher M. Duenas
  • Sylvia M. Flores
  • Mark Forbes
  • Victor Anthony Gaza
  • Lawrence F. Kasperbauer
  • Robert "Bob" Klitzkie
  • Jerone T. Landstrom
  • Jesse "Jess" Anderson Lujan
  • Noel Silan
  • Ray Tenorio
  • Antonio "Tony" R. Unpingco

Declined

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  • Dr. Carmen Fernandez (D)

Results

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President of the United States

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Despite not having any electoral votes, Guam approved of George W. Bush by 64% over John Kerry. Ralph Nader and Michael Badnarik both received less than one percent.

2004 United States presidential election in Guam
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
21,490 64.08%
Democratic John Kerry
John Edwards
11,781 35.13
Independent Ralph Nader
Peter Camejo
196 0.58%
Libertarian Michael Badnarik
Richard Campagna
67 0.2%
Total votes 33,534 100.0%
Republican hold

Delegate

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Guam Delegate results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Madeleine Bordallo (incumbent) 31,051 97.38
n/a Write-ins 837 2.62
Total votes 31,888 100

Legislature

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In the election to the legislature, the top fifteen vote-getters are elected, and the remaining candidates aren't. A recount was held due to the closeness of the vote counts of the critical 15th/16th candidates. As a result, Joanne Brown (Republican), an incumbent, pushed then Speaker Ben Pangelinan into 16th place with a two-vote lead.[6]

Party Votes % Seats
Republican Party 228,177 51.82 9
Democratic Party 211,904 48.13 6
Write-ins 232 0.05
Total 440,313 100 15
Source: Guam election
2004 Guam legislative election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ray Tenorio (incumbent) 21,656 4.92
Republican Edward J.B. Calvo 21,041
Republican Michael W. Cruz, M.D. 20,168
Democratic Benjamin J.F. Cruz 19,573
Democratic Frank B. Aguon Jr. (incumbent) 17,808
Democratic Judith T.P. Won Pat 17,411
Republican Robert "Bob" Klitzkie (incumbent) 16,828
Republican Antonio "Tony" R. Unpingco 16,391
Republican Lawrence F. Kasperbauer (incumbent) 16,174
Republican Jesse Anderson Lujan (incumbent) 15,319
Democratic Adolpho B. Palacios Sr. 15,257
Republican Mark Forbes (incumbent) 15,212
Democratic Rory J. Respicio (incumbent) 14,859
Democratic Lou Leon Guerrero (incumbent) 14,853
Republican Joanne M.S. Brown (incumbent) 14,618
Democratic Vicente "Ben" C. Pangelinan 14,614
Democratic Tina Muña Barnes (incumbent) 13,889
Republican Noel M. Silan 13,704
Republican Jerome T. Landstorm, M.D. 13,458
Democratic Judith P. Guthertz 13,366
Democratic Mark C. Charfaurous 13,034
Democratic John M. "JQ" Quinata (incumbent) 12,621
Democratic Vincent C. Camacho 12,445
Democratic Antoinette M. Sanford (incumbent) 12,118
Democratic Theodore "Ted" S. Nelson 11,766
Democratic Randall F. Cunliffe 11,488
Republican Vicente Anthony Gaza 10,834
Republican Bertha M. Duenas 10,803
Republican Christopher M. Duenas 9,526
Democratic Teresita Garrido Cruz 9,247
Majority 2,091
Turnout 118,689
Republican gain from Democratic

Auditor

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Public Auditor results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doris Flores-Brooks (incumbent) 30,627 98.80
n/a Write-ins 371 1.20
Total votes 30,998 100

Utilities Commission

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2018 Consolidated Commission on Utilities results
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Thomas C. Ada 24,839 46.84%
Nonpartisan Gloria C.B. Nelson 13,227 24.94%
Nonpartisan Eloy P. Hara 8,146 15.36
Nonpartisan Jesus T. Lizama 6,577 12.40
N/A Write-ins 239 0.45
Total votes 53,028 100

Judicial retention

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Both judges standing for retention kept their seats by large majorities.

Education board

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Elections for the Guam Education Policy Board suffered for a shortage of candidates: Only in the district of Luchan were there more running then returned (4, including write-in, for two seats). In the other two 2 seat districts, the second had to be filled by write-in, and in the 3 seat Lagu district, NO candidates were on the ballot, resulting in a 100% write-in return.

Mayors

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Ten Republican mayors were elected against four Democratic mayors and all three vice mayors. The vice mayor of Barrigada, June Blas was elected without opposition.

Referendum

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Shall proposal A, an initiative to establish the Guam Casino Gaming Control Commission Act be adopted by the voters of Guam?[1]

Choice Votes %
For 13,311 38.54
Against 21,223 61.46
Invalid/blank votes
Total 34,534 100
Registered voters/turnout 54,940
Source: Direct Democracy

References

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  1. ^ a b Guam (USA), 2 November 2004: Allowing of gambling Direct Democracy (in German)
  2. ^ Richard Winger. "Ballot Access News July 1, 2004". Retrieved December 3, 2006.
  3. ^ "Public Law No. 26-76". Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved December 3, 2006.
  4. ^ a b "Office of The Public Auditor - Guam - Enabling Legislation". Retrieved December 3, 2006.
  5. ^ Zita Taintano. "Guam Bar Association surveys members about judicial retention". KUAM-TV. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 3, 2006.
  6. ^ "GEC completes recount: Brown beats Pangelinan by 2 votes for 15th seat". Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2006.