The Ngaimis, the traditional council of chiefs of Ngatpang State, expresses confusion over the scheduled date of the Ngatpang State General Election in a letter to the Board of Palau Election Commission. Ngatpang State’s General Election is scheduled to occur this year, 2022.
The confusion stems from Ngatpang State Constitution, which was amended in 2006, and calls for General Election to be held in two different months. The constitution’s English version calls for the election to be held in November, while the Palauan version calls for an election in December.
Furthermore, according to the letter from the Ngaimis, four Ngatpang state laws have been moving the date back and forth between November and December, with the last one eliminating the month altogether and only citing that it should occur on the “second Thursday, the full-moon day according to the constitution.”
Ngatpang NSPLA No. 1-6-10, passed in 2010, stated that the general election will occur in December according to the Palauan version of the Ngatpang Constitution. NPSL No. 3-18-04, passed in 2018, moved it to November per the English version of the same Constitution. NSPL No. 3-18-05 amended it again to December. Finally, NSPL No. 4-22-04 removed the month entirely and only indicated that it be the “second Thursday, the full moon day.”
Palau Election Commission’s website shows on the national and state elections schedule Ngatpang State General Election is set for December 2022.