12 2 STA T .86 8 PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 22 9—M A Y 8 , 2008 Subti t leB—Nor t h er nMa riana Is lan d s D ele g ate SEC.71 1. D E L E GAT ET OH O U SEO FR E P RESE N TAT IV ES FRO M COMMON W EALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. TheCom mo nw e alt ho f the N o r thern M ar i ana Is lan d s shall b ere p resented in the U nited S tates Con g ress b y the R esident Representati v e to the United States a u thori z edbyse c tion 901 of the Covenant To E stablish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mar - iana Islands in P olitical Union W ith the United States of A merica ( approved by Public L aw9 4–2 41 (4 8 U . S.C. 1801 et se q . ) ). The Resident Representative shall be a nonvoting D elegate to the H ouse of Representatives , elected as provided in this subtitle. SEC. 71 2 . ELECTION OF DELEGATE. (a) E LECTORSAND T IM EO F ELECTION. — The Delegate shall be elected— (1) by the people qualified to vote for the popularly elected officials of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
and (2) at the F ederal general election of 2008 and at such Federal general election every 2d year thereafter. (b) MANNER OF ELECTION.— (1) IN G ENERAL.—The Delegate shall be elected at large and by a plurality of the votes cast for the office of Delegate. (2) EFFECT OF ESTA B LIS H MENT OF P RIMAR Y ELECTIONS.— Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the G overnment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, acting pursu- ant to legislation enacted in accordance with the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, pro- vides for primary elections for the election of the Delegate, the Delegate shall be elected by a ma j ority of the votes cast in any general election for the office of Delegate for which such primary elections were held. (c) V ACANCY.—In case of a permanent vacancy in the office of Delegate, the office of Delegate shall remain vacant until a successor is elected and qualified. (d) COMMENCEMENT OF TERM.—The term of the Delegate shall commence on the 3 ddayof J anuary following the date of the election. SEC. 71 3 . Q UALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE OF DELEGATE. To be eligible for the office of Delegate a candidate shall— (1) be at least 2 5 years of age on the date of the election; (2) have been a citizen of the United States for at least 7 years prior to the date of the election; (3) be a resident and domiciliary of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for at least 7 years prior to the date of the election; (4) be qualified to vote in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on the date of the election; and (5) not be, on the date of the election, a candidate for any other office. 48USC1753. 48 USC 175 2 . 48 USC 1751.
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