 1997 Congressional Election Held on March 4, 1997PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): March 5, 1997 – FSM voters went to the polls to elect ten new two-year members of the 14 member national congress. The State of Chuuk is the only state whose state election coincides with the national election. After polls were closed on Tuesday, ballot counting began with Pohnpei’s Election District No. 2 (Madolenihmw and Kitti municipalities), the race between incumbent Wagner Lawrence and businessman Belarmine Helgenberger. The unofficial returns with most votes in Madolenihmw except two ballot boxes, Helgenberger was leading with 1,440 votes. Lawrence received 642 votes. On the proposed amendment giving the states 80 percent of tax revenues raised in each state, 794 “yes” votes and 1,265 “no” votes. Counting resumed in Kitti Wednesday morning and results will be forthcoming. Counting of ballots for Election District No. 1 and 3 and absentee votes will follow. Preliminary results from Kosrae and Yap states through the Office of the National Elections Director showed the following: Kosrae’s unchallenged incumbent Claude Phillip received 1,352 votes, and on the proposed amendment to the Constitution, 380 voted “yes” while 1,183 voted against. In Yap the unchallenged incumbent Isaac Figir received 2,438 votes. On the amendment, 1,291 voted for it and 1,199 against. No report for Chuuk has been received yet.
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