2009 Marshallese presidential election

An indirect presidential election was held in the Marshall Islands on 26 October 2009 following the ousting of incumbent President Litokwa Tomeing in the nation's first successful vote of no confidence on 21 October 2009. Tomeing had been temporarily replaced by Ruben Zackhras as acting president.

2009 Marshallese presidential election
26 October 2009
All 32 seats in Nitijeļā
 
Candidate Jurelang Zedkaia Kessai Note
Party Independent Independent
Electoral vote 17 15
Percentage 53.12% 46.88%
President before election

Ruben Zackhras (Acting)
UDP

 Elected President

Jurelang Zedkaia
Independent

Politics of the Marshall Islands
Constitution
Executive
Legislative
Judiciary
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations

Only two candidates were nominated for President, who is elected by the 33-member Nitijela.[1] The candidates were Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia and former President Kessai Note,[1] who had led the no confidence measure against Tomeing. Tomeing and Kessai had engaged in a power struggle since Kessai had lost his re-election bid in the 2007 election.[2] Under the terms of the Marshallese constitution, the Nitijela had fourteen days to elect a new president.[3]

Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia won election against former president Kessai Note with 17 to 15 votes.[1] The results gave Zedkaia the one vote-minimum needed to defeat Kessai and win the presidency.[1]

Zedkaia's swearing in as President on November 2, 2009.

Senators did not vote along party lines during the election, with several crossing the aisle to vote for the presidential candidates in opposing parties.[1] Nitijela Senator Brenson Wase was quoted as describing the shifting political affiliations of the electors as being as mixed up "as a fruit salad."[2]

Observers noted that Zedkaia is an Iroij, or traditional chief, like his predecessor, Litokwe Tomeing. Zedkaia's status as Iroij may have been key to his narrow one-vote victory in the election.[4]

President Zedkaia was sworn into office on November 2, 2009.

References
  1. "Marshall Island parliament elects new President". Radio New Zealand International. 2009-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  2. "Marshalls elect new president in narrow vote". AFP. Google News. 2009-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  3. Rowa, Aenet (2009-10-25). "Republic of the Marshall Islands has New President". Yokwe Online. Archived from the original on 2010-12-03. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  4. "The Marshall Islands parliament has elected the Speaker, Jurelang Zedkaia, as its fifth President". RNZI. Islands Business. 2009-10-26. Archived from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
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