The 2001 Northern Mariana Islands general election was held on Saturday, 3 November 2001, electing the

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

and members to the

legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...

. The 2001 elections marked the last general election that the dissolved Reform Party, which merged back into the Democratic Party in 2002, would appear on the ballot. Despite the economic hardships experienced under

Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio Pedro "Teno" Pangelinan Tenorio (April 18, 1934 – May 21, 2018) was a Northern Mariana Islander politician who served as the second and fifth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 11, 1982, to January 8, 1990, and then from Jan ...

's Administration, the apparent strength the 1999 general elections signaled that the Democratic Party and its splinter Reform Party had, and the newly formed Covenant Party which was formed as a splinter party from the ruling Republican Party, Republican candidate Juan Nekai Babauta won with a landslide in the four-way race.

Benigno Repeki Fitial Benigno Repeki Fitial (born November 27, 1945) is a Northern Marianan politician who served as the seventh governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. The second longest-serving governor in CNMI history, Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005, assume ...

's newly formed Covenant Party landed a distant yet sizable second place.

Jesus Borja Jesus "Jesse" Camacho Borja (born September 14, 1948) is a Northern Mariana Islander politician and lawyer who served as the fourth lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 10, 1994 until January 12, 1998 under former Democ ...

of the Democratic Party won a distant third and

Froilan Tenorio Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio (September 9, 1939 – May 4, 2020) was a Northern Mariana Islander politician who was the fourth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. Elected in 1993, he served one term from January 10, 1994 to January 12, 1998. ...

of the Reform Party placed fourth.

Background

Incumbent Governor

chooses to not seek a fourth term, ending his career with his unprecedented three term victories, being the only governor in CNMI history to win more than two terms. The 2001 elections takes place in the aftermath of the 1999 election, which saw the newly formed Reform Party achieve a "stunning upset and defeat of formidable incumbent Senator Juan P. Tenorio (Morgen) by newcomer Ramon "Kumoi" Santos Deleon Guerrero." The election of the CNMI's first third party lawmaker sent massive shockwaves throughout the territory and had aroused significant discussion for the future of the political landscape. However, the Reform Party's failure to obtain seats in the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

during the 1999 elections signaled that the Party may not have staying power. This took place at the same time the Democratic Party observed a resurgence. The 2001 election saw a four-way race between candidates from four political parties, including the newly formed Covenant Party. This election was also defined by the

1997 Asian financial crisis The 1997 Asian financial crisis gripped much of East Asia, East and Southeast Asia during the late 1990s. The crisis began in Thailand in July 1997 before spreading to several other countries with a ripple effect, raising fears of a worldwide eco ...

, which saw as many as 2,000 businesses in the CNMI close down, severely affecting the ruling incumbent Republican party. Tourism has been significantly negatively affected and austerity measures have begun to pressure the population as the economy has turned negative since Pedro Tenorio took office.

Gubernatorial election

Candidates

Republican Party

* Juan Nekai Babauta, former

Resident Representative of the Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands' at-large congressional district encompasses the entire U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The Commonwealth does not have a voting member of Congress, but does elect a delegate who can parti ...

(1990-2002) and former member of the

Northern Mariana Islands Senate The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts (Saipan & the Northern Islands, Tinian & Aguijan, a ...

(1986-1990). ** Diego Tenorio Benavente was Juan's running mate and former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Northern Mariana Islands (1994-2000), former member of the

Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20. Representatives serve two-ye ...

(1990-2000).

Covenant Party

, former member of the

(1982-1990), former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Northern Mariana Islands (1982-1984), former vice speaker of the House (1986-1988), and former minority leader (1980-1982, 1984-1986). ** Rita Hocog Inos, education commissioner of the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System (CNMI PSS) is a school district serving the Northern Mariana Islands, a Territories of the United States, United States territory. Its headquarters are in Susupe, Saipan. Schoo ...

(1998-2005).

Democratic Party

* Jesus "Jesse" Camacho Borja, former

Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has a self-governing government consisting of a locally elected governor, lieutenant governor and the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The current lieutenant governor is David ...

(1994–1998) and former associate justice at the Northern Mariana Islands Supreme Court (1989–1993). ** Brigida "Bridget" DLG Ichihara, former member of the

Reform Party

* Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio, former

Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

(1994–1998), former member of the

(1980–1984), and former Resident Representative to the United States (1984–1990). **Dave C. Sablan.

Results

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Covenant Covenant may refer to: Religion * Covenant (religion), a formal alliance or agreement made by God with a religious community or with humanity in general ** Covenant (biblical), in the Hebrew Bible ** Covenant in Mormonism, a sacred agreement b ...

, style="text-align:left;" ,

, style="text-align:left;" , Rita Hocog Inos , , % , - , style="background:" , , style="text-align:left;" , Democratic , style="text-align:left;" , Jesus "Jesse" Camacho Borja , style="text-align:left;" , Bridget Ichihara , , % , - , style="background:" , , style="text-align:left;" ,

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

, style="text-align:left;" , Froilan Cruz "Lang" Tenorio , style="text-align:left;" , Dave C. Sablan , , % , - , colspan="6" style="background:#E9E9E9" , , - !colspan="4" style="text-align:left;" , Total ! !100% , - , colspan="6" style="background:#E9E9E9" , , -

Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature

Results summary

Senate

The

is the upper house of the

Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature The Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is the territorial legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The legislative branch of the territory is bicameral, consisting of a 20-member lower House of Repres ...

, consisting of nine senators representing three senatorial districts (

Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...

& the Northern Islands,

Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...

Aguijan Aguijan (; ; also Aguiguan and Aguihan, based on the Spanish rendition of the native name) is a small bean-shaped uninhabited coralline island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain in the Pacific Ocean. It is situated south-west of Tinian, from ...

, and Rota), each a

Multi-member district An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...

with three senators. Each district had two seats open for the 2001 elections. Both of Rota's incumbent senators, Edward U. Maratita and Richardo S. Atalig, sought reelection.

House of Representatives

The

is the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

of the

. The house has six districts, several of which are

. All 18 seats in the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives were contested in the 2001 election.

Mayors

Three mayoral posts were up for election across the Commonwealth. Saipan's incumbent Mayor, Republican Jose C. Sablan, announced that he would not seek reelection due to health issues. Republicans Frank Cepeda and Henry Sablan, and Democrat Juan Borja Tudela have expressed intention in seeking the Saipan mayoralty. Democrat Juan Borja Tudela won the Saipan mayoral race. Rota's incumbent Mayor,

Benjamin Manglona Benjamin Taisacan Manglona ( Chamorro: ''Manglo'ña'') (March 31, 1938 – April 24, 2016) was a Northern Marianan politician and civil engineer. He is the CNMI's longest serving elected official having served as a congressman, senator, and f ...

, sought reelection and won. Incumbent Tinian and Aguiguan Mayor, Republican Francisco M. Borja, announced his reelection bid and won.

Municipal Council

Board of education

Judges

References

{{United States elections, 2001 Northern Mariana Northern Mariana

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Referendums in the Northern Mariana Islands