Backed by 186 supporters, incumbent Peleliu Governor Temmy Shmull has officially filed his certificate of candidacy on Friday, September 21, at the Palau Elections Commission (PEC) to officially bid for the 2019 Peleliu gubernatorial seat.
Shmull, who is running for the third term – the maximum term allowed by the Peleliu State Constitution, is nominated by 186 registered voters from Peleliu. Under the state law, he should garner at least 50 nominations from registered voters of the state to be able to join the race.
The incumbent Peleliu Governor told Island Times that when he was first inaugurated as Governor of Peleliu in 2012, it was always his plan to serve out the maximum terms allowed by the law for the governorship if his health permits it.
Shmull said that unlike others who are running for elections, he does not want to make big promises that will turn out to be false promises once they are sworn into office.
“I would rather do something achievable, something that will have an impact in the lives of the Peleliu people than to promise them something unachievable,” Shmull said.
Shmull, who is now serving out the last year of his second term as Governor of Peleliu, had once worked in the government as a foreign service officer and had later became an advisor to then Acting-President Thomas Remengesau, Sr. He later became the Chief of Staff of Former President Kuniwo Nakamura before becoming a Minister of State under President Tommy Remengesau, Jr.’s first and second term. In 2013, he then decided to run for the Peleliu gubernatorial seat and has since then serve as its governor until the present.
During his filing for candidacy last Friday, Shmull was accompanied by a few supporters. (Rhealyn C. Pojas)