§ 6923. Registration
TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT DIVISION 6: ELECTIONS § 6923. Registration. Upon this chapter becoming law and in accordance with this chapter, the Commonwealth Election Commission shall begin the registration of persons of Northern Marianas descent in all the villages on Saipan, the islands north of Saipan, Tinian and Aguiguan, and Rota. The Commonwealth Election Commis- sion may conduct such registration in the said villages as often as it may be required. (a) The CEC shall diligently work toward the successful implementation of this chapter by ensuring that its intent and purpose is well disseminated and announced throughout the Commonwealth, urging all person to register who qualify pursuant to Article XII, § 4 of the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution. (b) The CEC shall not deny any individual person who meets the requirements of Article XII, § 4 of the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution to register. However, if the individual person is a convicted felon, the applicable provisions of local or federal laws shall apply when it comes to voting in any regular or special elections. (c) If a registration clerk administering an oath has any question regarding the propriety of an affidavit of registration, the clerk shall forward the affidavit to the Commission for final decision as to its propriety. In case of a questionable affidavit regarding the qualification(s) of the individual, the Commission shall conduct a formal or informal hearing to determine the correct facts. The regis- trant has the right to present evidence to the Commission regarding his or her qualifications to register as a person of Northern Marianas Descent. Any individ- ual person, who is denied to be registered by the Commonwealth Election Commission, may appeal the decision to the members of the Commonwealth Election Commission thirty days upon the receipt of such denial. The members of CEC, upon the receipt of the appeal, shall, within forty-five days and no later than sixty days, schedule a hearing to allow the individual person to present his or her oral or written argument, with supporting documents, if required, contest- ing such a denial. After the said hearing, the members of the CEC find that the decision to deny the individual person to be registered stands, the appellant must be notified in writing explaining the reason for such action.* The individual person may seek judicial review of such decision under the Administrative Procedures Act. Source: PL 17-40 § 4 (April 21, 2011), modified. Commission Comment: *There may be a missing word “if” in this sen- tence. However, correction of this possible error is beyond the authority of the Commission; therefore, the sentence remains as stated in the original public law. The Commission replaced “this Act” with “this chapter” and changed capi- talization pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(d) and (f). The Commission also changed “the Office of the Mayors” to the “offices of the mayors” to correct a manifest error in subsection (c) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g).
Source: CNMI Law Revision Commission