1 November 2016 2020 → 51.3% 48.7% | 5,109 4,854 | |
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Winner Tommy Remengesau | ||
The 2016 presidential election in Palau was held on November 1, 2016, in conjunction with the 2016 Palauan general election. Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau, who is seeking re-election, faced a competitive challenger from his brother-in-law, Surangel Whipps Jr. Remengesau and Whipps emerged as the presidential nominees following the primary election on September 27, 2016.
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As of November 11th, President Tommy Remengesau leads Senator Whipps 5109 votes against 4854. Final results will not be announced until later in November when absentee ballots are counted.
Declared candidates
Four candidates declared their intention to seek the presidency in 2016, including Remengesau, who was seeking re-election.
Campaign
The deadline to file nominating petitions for a presidential run was August 3, 2016.
President Tommy Remengesau declared his candidacy for re-election on March 1, 2016, at an campaign kickoff held at the Ngarachamayong Cultural Center. Senator Surangel Whipps Jr., who began campaigning for president in 2015 and announced his candidacy earlier in the year, became the first candidate to file his candidacy with the Palau Elections Commission Office om July 20, 2016. Sandra Pierantozzi, the former Vice President under Remengesau, was the only woman to enter the race.
A presidential debate, including all four candidates, was held on August 17, 2016, at the Palau Community College (PCC). The debate was jointly sponsored by the Palau Media Council and Palau Community College.
Presidential primary election
The presidential primary election was held on September 27, 2016. President Remengesau won the primary with 4,951 votes, while Whipps Jr. placed second with 3,762 votes to qualify for the presidential general election on November 1st.
Following their loss in September 27th primary, Sandra Pierantozzi and Antonio Bells both endorsed Surangel Whipps Jr. for president over Remengesau.
Results
Early results, released on November 2, 2016, initially showed Whipps leading with 1,832 votes, with incumbent President Remengesau trailing with 1,667 votes. However, by November 4th, Remengesau had regained a slim lead with 4,108 votes, while Whipps trailed by just 78 votes, or 4,030 votes.
The presidential election will likely be decided by the absentee ballots. The Palau Election Commission said that absentee ballots will be counted after November 8th. Elenita Bennie Brel, the administrator of the national Election Service, announced that final results for the presidential will not be known until later in November, since absentee and provisional ballots will be sorted and counted in the presence of representatives of both presidential campaigns. Bennie Brel explained, "We want to make this election very fair and transparent for everyone who has concern and wants to come in. So after November 8 the counting of the absentee ballots and then it takes another 15 days for the board [of the electoral commission] to certify them."
On November 10, 2016, it was announced that Remengesau had been re-elected President of Palau, defeating Whipps by 255 votes.