Ngarchelong incumbent governor tops state primary election
Incumbent governor, Browny Salvador, has a huge lead in the 4th Ngarchelong State gubernatorial primary election that was held yesterday.
The four-term governor topped the five-way race with 34% of the total vote cast. Salvador garnered 170 votes against the current second place and political newcomer Richard Ngiratrang with 141 or 28% of the total vote cast.
Ms. Kyoko April is in third place getting 96 votes (19%) followed by Lorenzo Ngiramolau with 83 (16%), while Hayes Ngiratregd received 9 votes (1.8%).
Results from yesterday’s election don’t include absentee ballots, which will be tabulated next Friday.
However, all indications points to a runoff between the incumbent Governor Browny Salvador and challenger Richard Ngiratrang.
In the last Ngarchelong State gubernatorial election, Salvador was reelected with a surprising write-in candidacy after failing to advance for the runoff election. However, his base of loyal supporters, which remained intact, was enough to deliver the winning plurality of votes against the two candidates on the ballot who split the remaining votes.
With his name likely to be on the ballot on August 28 general election, Salvador can't count on the divide and conquer tactic successfully employed in the last election, but should be concern with the move to consolidate support from the challengers behind a single candidate, which would present the incumbent governor with the biggest political fight of his life.
The candidates – Ngiratrang, April and Ngiramolau shared a centralized space during the election indicating show of support for whoever among them advances to face the incumbent in the runoff election.
Three of the five Ngarchelong State gubernatorial candidates (L-R): Richard Ngiratrang, Kyoko April and Lorenzo Ngiramolau sharing a centralized space during the election. (Facebook photo)
Total regsitered voters for Ngarchelong is at 1,098 with 501 casting ballots yesterday.
