Voter: Governor wanted me to commit voter fraud
By Johnnie Rosario
(Tumon, Guam) Commonwealth daughter and current Des Moines, Washington resident Elizabeth Rauline told Kandit News in an interview today that Gov. Ralph Torres tried to get her to vote for him in the CNMI election last year, even though she was registered to vote in Washington State.
"I told him I don't think that's legal, and he said to me 'Don't worry, just see Julita and we can make this happen,'" Ms. Rauline told Kandit about her encounter with the governor on September 1, 2018, during the annual CNMI Labor Day baseball tournament in Enumclaw, Washington.
Ms. Rauline said she believes she was not the only one whom the governor offered to register to vote in the CNMI while registered as well in Washington so they may vote for him. This is voter fraud, and is a felony.
She also told Kandit that CNMI elected and appointed officials attend the tournament every year. It was former Senator Teresita Santos who invited her to the tournament. Election Commission executive director Julita Villagomez is the 'Julita' the governor referred to. She was on the trip registering voters for Mr. Torres.
"I went up to her and told her what the governor said and I asked her if that's legal," Ms. Rauline told Kandit. "I told her it was Ralph who told me to do this, and she turned around to look at him, then looked at me and shook her head saying, 'No, that's voter fraud.' I told her that's what I thought, too."
Ms. Rauline said that Ms. Villagomez did not try to register her to vote, and in fact told her if she wanted to register she could move back to Saipan, stay there for three months, and then register to vote.
