Overview:
Palau lawmakers are considering sweeping election reforms that could change absentee voting, campaign spending, voter registration and election timelines.
By Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
KOROR, Palau (Oct. 30, 2026) — “The purpose of the bill is to modernize and streamline the election process,” Sen. Nakamura said as lawmakers considered a broad package of proposed election reforms that would change voting schedules, absentee-ballot procedures, voter registration and campaign rules.
The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Affairs held a public hearing Wednesday, Oct. 28, with the Palau Election Commission to discuss Senate Bill No. 12-11, which could expand beyond its original focus on absentee voting to address several aspects of Palau’s election system.
Nakamura said the bill passed its first reading on Feb. 4, 2025, and was assigned to the committee. Initially, the measure sought to establish earlier deadlines for sending absentee ballots and require that absentee votes be counted alongside ballots cast in Palau.
The committee is now considering additional provisions based on extensive feedback, including written comments from the election commission, Nakamura said.
The proposed changes aim to shorten the wait for absentee ballots, improve election administration and potentially allow complete election results to be announced once ballots cast in Palau and absentee votes have been counted.
Earlier deadlines and ballot printing
Nakamura said scheduling problems during the last national election highlighted the need to move key election deadlines earlier in the year.
“One of the issues I saw during the last national election was timing schedules. So, we will change all the deadlines for submission of nominating petitions because we have to push those so that they take place much earlier during the year,” he said.
He also cited a court case that significantly delayed ballot printing during the last election.
“If I am not mistaken, during the last election there was a court case which significantly delayed the printing of ballots,” Nakamura said.
The proposed changes would revise election timelines to address scheduling challenges.
Early voting, spending limits and voter registration
The committee is also considering early voting, limits on candidate spending during election cycles and measures to update the voter registration list.
Nakamura said campaign spending limits could help “even the playing field a little bit for candidates.”
Another proposal, introduced by Sen. Remengesau, would allow Palauan citizens to register to vote at age 16 so they would already be registered when they become eligible to vote at 18.
Nakamura said the proposal would be incorporated into Senate Bill No. 12-11, bringing the two measures together as a comprehensive election reform package.
Proposed anti-bribery rules
The bill would also establish specific prohibitions against bribing voters to influence their votes. Under the proposal, bribery would be classified as a Class C felony and could carry jail time.
The proposed definition would include giving voters money or items of monetary value.
Nakamura acknowledged that candidates in Palau commonly provide food and refreshments at meetings. He said the committee would consider these practices before determining what conduct should constitute bribery under Palauan election law.
The bill would also prohibit candidates and people working for them from providing notary services to voters living off-island.
Election commission supports early voting
Palau Election Commission Director Sherwin Yamaguchi said the commission has no objection to early voting and is capable of conducting it.
The commission already offers an option for registered voters who expect to be off-island on Election Day. Those voters can present their travel itineraries at the election office and cast their ballots ahead of time.
Yamaguchi pointed to Guam’s system as an example of additional options for voters.
“Currently while we’re having this discussion, early voting is being conducted in Guam in 2 ways where people can walk-in and vote or through drive-thru voting which caters to peoples with disabilities,” he said.
Some members of the Senate committee traveled to Guam to observe its election process and early-voting system.
Removing deceased voters from the rolls
Updating the voter registration list was another issue raised during the hearing.
The election commission said the list includes deceased individuals because it has no reliable way of learning when registered voters die.
Senators said the final version of the bill would include a mechanism for the hospital or the clerk of courts to provide death certificates or lists of deceased individuals to the commission so their names can be removed from the voter rolls.
Unifying election procedures remains a challenge
Palau has 16 states, each with its own constitution and election laws, making it difficult to align national and state elections on a single day.
If enacted, Senate Bill No. 12-11 would introduce changes affecting several parts of the election process, from candidate registration and campaign conduct to ballot handling and voter eligibility records.
Nakamura said the bill has passed its first reading, but substantial revisions remain before it returns to the Senate floor for second and third readings.