Overview:
The Palau Election Commission has dismissed a citizen petition seeking to recall Angaur Governor Natus Misech, ruling that it failed to meet the legal threshold for valid signatures. Of the 84 submitted, only 74 were verified — well below the 25 percent required under state law.
By: L.N Reklai
KOROR, Palau — The Palau Election Commission has rejected a petition by Angaur State citizens seeking a recall election against Governor Natus Misech, citing insufficient signatures to meet state law requirements.
The petition, submitted on Sept. 26, 2025, included 84 signatures, of which 74 were deemed valid. However, the commission said Angaur has 473 registered voters, requiring at least 119 valid signatures — or 25 percent of the electorate — to trigger a recall. The verified signatures represented only 16.7 percent of registered voters, falling short of the legal threshold.
The petition, submitted with a letter from concerned citizens, accused Governor Misech of misconduct and breaching state laws. Allegations included shutting down the state government without notifying the legislature or public, returning a grant-funded Angaur boat to the Japan Embassy, raising staff salaries after the budget passed, hiring new employees, and selling state assets among others.
In response to questions from Island Times, Governor Misech confirmed he was aware of the commission’s rejection, saying the petition failed due to a lack of valid signatures and inclusion of non-registered voters.
Misech strongly denied the allegations and said he plans to hold a public meeting to address the claims. “For example, I did not return the boat to Japan’s Embassy,” he said. “The boat was not fully paid for, and part of the missing payment is under investigation by the national government,” referring to the missing $87K from the 2023 Japan Grassroots Grant Project that Japan’s Ambassador Orikasa has urged Palau national government to address. He added that he requested the Japan Embassy to extend the contract until December 2026 and that President Surangel Whipps Jr. has agreed to help by including the fund in the budget bill.
Misech, who took office on Jan. 1, 2025, suggested that the petition may have been politically motivated. He claimed that his efforts to uncover illegal dealings by previous governments might have prompted the move, saying some individuals “may have aspirations to run again” for the governor’s seat.
Angaur State operates on a two-year political cycle, with both the governor and legislature elected every two years. Several former governors have faced financial and legal controversies in past administrations.