By: Olkeriil Eoghan Ngirudelsang
(Koror, Palau) With the election approaching in four months, the issue of absentee voting has resurfaced. Presidential candidate Tommy Remengesau emphasized the importance of voting in a recent interview, stating, “It is a right that every citizen of Palau should exercise.” He added, “Voting is crucial because Palau is their future; one day, they will return, and it is their constitutional right.”
Remengesau made these comments in response to a question about his stance on off-island voting. A WCTC employee observing the elections noted, “Palauans in Palau bear the burden of our leaders’ decisions, yet off-island votes often decide state and national elections. These voters don’t experience life in Palau first hand, but still influence critical decisions.”
Many have observed that a significant portion of campaign events for both Remengesau and fellow candidate Surangel Whipps Jr. have been held outside Palau. Events have taken place in the U.S. mainland, Guam, and Saipan, where many Palauan voters live. Some Palauans believe off-island voting should end, while others advocate for electronic voting with high security, akin to the banking industry. “Voting should be digitalized and we should vote electronically with the same level of security similar to the banking industry,” said a Palauan under the assumed name Liusbeluu, commenting on a YouTube video of a press conference by local reporters and candidate Remengesau.
Off-island campaign events have been more frequent than those on the island. Notably, both Remengesau and Whipps held campaign events in Portland, Oregon, on the same day and time to celebrate Palau’s Presidents’ Day. According to social media flyers, Whipps has scheduled campaign events in the Bay Area of California on July 26 and 27, while Remengesau recently returned from similar trips to Hawaii and other States.