By: L.N. Reklai
Unofficial results from Ngarchelong State gubernatorial primary show incumbent Governor Browny Salvador and former police investigator Richard Ngiratrang in a close race, with Salvador ahead of Ngiratrang by 29 votes, 170 to 141.
With over 170 absentee ballots sent out, divided over 5 candidates, Salvador and Ngiratrang are assured places in the final race.
Other gubernatorial candidates vote tally showed Kyoko April with 96 votes, Lorenzo Ngiramolau with 83 and Hayes Ngiratreked with 9. All together, the three other candidates received a combined number of 188 votes. These are enough to swing final votes one way or another, a guarantee of number of sleepless nights for the top two votegetters.
Reports of the three candidates joining forces behind Ngiratrang are going around but given Ngarchelong’s voting history, outcome of this State’s election is still very much up for grabs.