2019 Marshallese general election

General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 18 November 2019.^[1] Opponents of President Hilda Heine won a majority of seats.^[2]

2019 Marshallese general election

← 2015 18 November 2019 2023 →
All 33 seats in the Nitijeļā
First party   Party Independents Seats after 33
Speaker0000000 before election Kenneth Kedi Elected Speaker Kenneth Kedi

Background

The 2015 elections saw a significant defeat for the government of incumbent President Christopher Loeak, with five cabinet ministers losing their seats.^[3] Following the elections, Casten Nemra was elected as president on 4 January 2016 by a margin of one vote. However, he was removed from office two weeks later by a vote of no confidence ending 21–12 in favour of dismissing him. On 27 January 2016 Hilda Heine was elected the country's first female president.^[4] She narrowly survived a vote of no confidence on 12 November 2018; the vote was tied at 16–16 as one member of the Legislature was abroad for medical treatment.^[5]

Electoral system

The 33 members of the Nitijeļā were elected in 19 single-member constituencies via first-past-the-post voting and five multi-member constituencies of between two and five seats via plurality block voting.^[6]

Results

Hilda Heine and Kitlang Kabua were the only two women elected, with Kabua becoming the youngest member ever of the legislature at age 28.^[7]

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	Notes
Ailinglaplap (2)	Christopher Loeak	702	Re-elected
	Alfred Alfred, Jr	516	Re-elected
	Isaac Zackhras	249
Ailuk (1)	Maynard Alfred	188	Re-elected
	Hackney Takju	121
Arno (2)	Jiba Kabua	512	Elected
	Mike Halferty	418	Re-elected
	Arthur Jetton	375
	Jejwarick Anton	343	Unseated
Aur (1)	Hilda Heine	292	Re-elected
	Justin Lani	196
Ebon (1)	John Silk	276	Re-elected
	Neamon Neamon	128
Enewetak (1)	Jack Ading	282	Re-elected
	Yoster John	60
Jabat (1)	Kessai Note	–	Re-elected unopposed
Jaluit (2)	Casten Nemra	580	Re-elected
	Jemi Nashion	446	Elected
	Daisy Alik-Momotaro	387	Unseated
Kili/Bikini/Ejit (1)	Peterson Jibas	284	Elected
	Eldon Note	204	Unseated
Kwajalein (3)	Michael Kabua	1,217	Re-elected
	Kitlang Kabua	931	Elected
	David Paul	817	Re-elected
	Alvin Jacklick	671	Unseated
Lae (1)	Thomas Heine	–	Re-elected unopposed
Lib (1)	Joe Bejang	321	Elected
	Whitney Loeak	44
Likiep (1)	Donald Capelle	318	Elected
	Tommy Kijiner, Jr.	238
Majuro (5)	Tony Muller	1,607	Re-elected
	Stephen Phillip	1,459	Elected
	Sandy Alfred	1,382	Elected
	Kalani Kaneko	1,379	Re-elected
	Brenson Wase	1,268	Re-elected
	David Kramer	1,242	Unseated
	Yolanda Lodge-Ned	1,225
Maloelap (1)	Bruce Bilimon	304	Re-elected
	Michael Konelios	172
Mejit (1)	Dennis Momotaro	287	Re-elected
	Helkena Anni	172
Mili (1)	Wilbur Heine	400	Re-elected
	Joniton Lometo	200
Namdrik (1)	Wisely Zackhras	258	Re-elected
	Hebel Luther	155
Namu (1)	Tony Aiseia	358	Re-elected
	Ace Doulatram	326
Rongelap (1)	Kenneth Kedi	339	Re-elected
	Hilton Tonton Kendall	287
Ujae (1)	Atbi Riklon	190	Re-elected
	Waylon Muller	96
Utrok (1)	Hiroshi Yamamura	303	Elected
	Amenta Matthew	257	Unseated
Wotho (1)	David Kabua	120	Re-elected
	Samantha Samson	30
Wotje (1)	Ota Kisino	294	Elected
	John Kaiko	200
Source: Info Marshall Islands

Presidential election

Incumbent President Hilda Heine lost to David Kabua, son of the former and longest President Amata Kabua.

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	David Kabua	Opposition	20	62.50
	Hilda Heine	Government	12	37.50
Total			32	100.00
Total votes			32	–
Registered voters/turnout			33	96.97