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A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 March 1977. [1] The new constitution was approved by 93% of voters and came into force on 9 January 1978. [1]
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A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 March 1977. [1] The new constitution was approved by 93% of voters and came into force on 9 January 1978. [1]
A Constitutional Assembly had been elected and drafted the new constitution between 18 October until 5 December 1976. [1]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 3,557 | 93.24 |
| Against | 258 | 6.76 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 19 | – |
| Total | 3,834 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 6,554 | 58.50 |
| Source: Direct Democracy | ||
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is an unincorporated territory and commonwealth of the United States consisting of 14 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The CNMI includes the 14 northernmost islands in the Mariana Archipelago; the southernmost island, Guam, is a separate U.S. territory. The Northern Mariana Islands were listed by the United Nations as a non-self governing territory until 1990.
The flag of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands was adopted in July 1985, by the Second Northern Marianas Constitution. The NMI flag was originally designed during the year 1985. Later during that year, they finalized the draft of the flag in the last CNMI constitutional convention. This was the most symbolic moment of the annexation of the CNMI.
Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the federal government of the United States. The various American territories differ from the U.S. states and Indian reservations as they are not sovereign entities. In contrast, each state has a sovereignty separate from that of the federal government and each federally recognized Native American tribe possesses limited tribal sovereignty as a "dependent sovereign nation". Territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an "organized" government through an organic act passed by the Congress. American territories are under American sovereignty and, consequently, may be treated as part of the United States proper in some ways and not others. Unincorporated territories in particular are not considered to be integral parts of the United States, and the Constitution of the United States applies only partially in those territories.
Commonwealth is a term used by two unincorporated territories of the United States in their full official names, which are the Northern Mariana Islands, whose full name is Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico, which is named Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in English and Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico in Spanish, translating to "Free Associated State of Puerto Rico." The term was also used by the Philippines during most of its period under U.S. sovereignty, when it was officially called the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
In the United States, each state has its own written constitution.
General elections were held in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on Saturday, 5 November 2005, electing the governor and Legislature. There was also a referendum on calling a Constitutional Convention, which was approved by voters. The gubernatorial election was the closest in the commonwealth's history, and resulted in the election of Benigno Fitial, narrowly defeating independent Heinz Hofschneider by 84 votes and incumbent Republican Governor Juan N. Babauta by an additional 98 votes.
This electoral calendar 2005 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2005 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, although they are not elections. By-elections are not included.
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is the governing document of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ("CNMI"). Its creation was required by the covenant between the United States and the CNMI. It was drafted at a local constitutional convention in 1976, approved by territorial voters in a referendum on March 6, 1977, and became effective January 9, 1978.
The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is the territorial legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The legislative branch of the territory is bicameral, consisting of a 20-member lower House of Representatives, and an upper house Senate with nine senators. Representatives serve two-year terms and senators serve four-year terms, both without term limits. The territorial legislature meets in the commonwealth capital of Saipan.
This electoral calendar 2009 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2009 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, although they are not elections. By-elections are not included.
A referendum on holding a Constitutional Convention was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 5 November 1983. The proposal was approved by voters. A subsequent 44-part referendum on constitutional amendments was held in 1985.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 2 November 2010, alongside the election for the islands' representative to the United States House of Representatives. Voters were asked whether they approved of three proposed amendments to the constitution. All three were rejected.
A three-part referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 November 1993. Voters were asked whether they approved of two constitutional amendments regarding collective land ownership of native islanders and the veto powers of the Governor, and whether a Constitutional Convention should be elected. All three proposals were approved by voters.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 November 1995. Voters were asked whether they approved of two proposed amendments to the constitution; one limiting the rights to vote on constitutional amendments that affected land ownership to native islanders, and one on establishing an Office of Finance to regulate the spending of the Legislature. The first proposal was approved by voters and the second rejected.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 November 2012, alongside the election for the islands' representative to the United States House of Representatives. Voters were asked whether they approved of three proposed amendments to the constitution. All three were approved.
General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on November 4, 2014. Voters elected the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Delegate to the US Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, mayors, municipal councils and the Board of Education. Additionally, a referendum involving changes to the constitution was held.
A nineteen-part referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 2 March 1996. Voters were asked whether they approved of constitutional amendments of each chapter, with a separate vote on each. All amendments were rejected.
A 44-part constitutional referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 3 November 1985.
The Marianas archipelago of the Northern Pacific contains fourteen islands located between Japan and New Guinea on a north–south axis and Hawaii and the Philippines on an east–west axis. Inhabitants were Spanish nationals from the 16th century until the Spanish–American War of 1898. As Guam became a territory of the United States the Northern Marianas were sold to Germany in 1899. The Northern Mariana Islands were a German protectorate until 1919, when they became part of the South Seas Mandate, administrated by Japan. At the close of World War II, the Marianas became part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1975, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands became a self-governing territory. In 1986, the Marianas came under the sovereignty of the United States when the trusteeship ended and US nationality and citizenship was conferred on the inhabitants of the territory.
