Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives

Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
22nd Legislature
Type
Type	Lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature
Leadership
Speaker	Edmund Villagomez (I) ; since January 13, 2021
Vice Speaker	Diego Camacho (D) ; since January 13, 2025
Majority Leader	Marissa Flores (I) ; since January 13, 2025
Minority Leader	Patrick H. San Nicolas (R) ; since January 13, 2023
Structure
Seats	20
Political groups	Majority Caucus (16) Independent (12); Democratic (4); Minority Caucus (4) Republican (3); Independent (1);
Elections
Last election	November 8, 2022
Next election	November 5, 2024

The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.

In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20. Representatives serve two-year terms and are elected from seven election districts:

District 1: Saipan (6 seats)
District 2: Saipan (2 seats)
District 3: Saipan & the Northern Islands (6 seats)
District 4: Saipan (2 seats)
District 5: Saipan (2 seats)
District 6: Tinian (1 seat)
District 7: Rota & Aguiguan (1 seat)

The Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is chosen by the House from among its members.^[1]

Composition of the House of Representatives

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority/plurality)					Total

	Republican	Independent		Democratic	Covenant		Vacant
End of 18th Legislature	4	12		0	4	20	0

19th Legislature	7	13		0	0	20	0

20th Legislature	15	5		0	0	20	0

21st Legislature	13	7		0	0	20	0

Begin 22nd Legislature	9^[a]	1	2	8	0	20	0
July 23, 2021	8			8		19	1
October 16, 2021	8			9^[b]		20	0

23rd Legislature	3	1	12	4	0	20	0
Latest voting share	20%		80%

Leadership

For the 24th Commonwealth Legislature, Villagomez was reelected as speaker, a position in which he has served since 2021. Diego Camacho, one of the chamber's two Democratic members, was elected vice-speaker and Marissa Flores was elected floor leader. Patrick Hofschneider San Nicolas continues as minority leader, a position he held in the previous legislative session.^[3]^[4]

Office	Representative	Party
Speaker of the House	Edmund Villagomez	Independent
Vice Speaker	Diego Camacho	Democratic
Floor Leader	Marissa Flores	Independent
Minority Leader	Patrick H. San Nicolas	Republican

Members of the 24th Legislature

In the 2020 general election for the 22nd Legislature, the Republican Party won nine seats, a resurgent Democratic Party won eight seats, and three seats were won by independents. Two of those independents, Edmund Joseph Sablan Villagomez and Donald Manalang Manglona, are aligned with the Democratic Party while Joseph Flores is aligned with the Republican Party.^[5] On July 23, 2021, the death of Republican 3rd district representative Ivan A. Blanco created a vacancy, to be filled in an October 16 special election.^[6] Democrat Corina Magofna won the special election, flipping the seat.^[7] In the 2022 elections for the 23rd Legislature, independents made significant gains, reducing the number of Democrats and Republicans in the House. However, 12 of the 13 independents formed a coalition government with the 4 Democrats.^[8] In the 2024 general election, the INDEMS retained their majority, but the minority bloc picked up three seats.

District	Name	Party	Caucus
1 - Saipan	Raymond Ulloa Palacios	Independent	Minority
	Vincent Raymon Seman Aldan	Independent	Majority
	Joseph Arriola Flores	Independent	Minority
	Roy Christopher Aldan Ada	Republican	Minority
	Diego Vincent Fejeran Camacho	Democratic	Majority
	Roman Cepeda Benavente	Independent	Majority
2 - Saipan	Daniel I. Aquino	Independent	Minority
2 - Saipan	John Paul Palacios Sablan	Independent	Majority
3 - Saipan	Blas Jonathan "BJ" Tenorio Attao	Independent	Majority
	Edmund Villagomez	Independent	Majority
	Ralph Naraja Yumul	Independent	Majority
	Denita Kaipat Yangetmai	Democratic	Majority
	Marissa Renee Flores	Independent	Majority
	Elias Jerome Malite Rangamar	Independent	Minority
4 - Saipan	Malcolm Jason Omar	Independent	Majority
4 - Saipan	Joel Castro Camacho	Independent	Majority
5 - Saipan	Angelo Atalig Camacho	Independent	Majority
5 - Saipan	Thomas John Dela Cruz Manglona	Republican	Minority
6 - Tinian	Patrick Hofschneider San Nicolas	Republican	Minority
7 - Rota	Julie Marie Atalig Ogo	Independent	Majority

Past composition of the House of Representatives

References

^ N.M.I. Const. art. II, § 14(b).
^ "Democrats take control of CNMI House of Representatives". Radio New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand. January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (December 26, 2026). "Villagomez to be House speaker again, Mendiola to lead Senate". Marianas Variety.
^ Erediano, Emmanuel T. (January 13, 2023). "San Nicolas is House minority leader". Marianas Variety. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
^ De La Torre, Ferdie (December 17, 2020). "Majority in 22nd House a toss-up". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
^ Commonwealth Election Commission, "Proclamation - Special Election for the Third Election District (Precint 3)," August 19, 2021
^ "Magofna Wins Northern Mariana Islands Special Election". 18 October 2021.
^ Sablan, Jesus I. (Chair) (November 11, 2022). "Official General Election Results". Commonwealth Election Commission. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.

Notes

^ One Republican voted with the Democratic–Independent coalition to elect the speaker of the House.^[2]
^ A special election for Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives District 3 was called for October 16, 2021 after the seat became vacant after Ivan A. Blanco (R) died while in office on July 23, 2021. Corina L. Magofna (D) won.

External links

Official website Archived 2016-08-12 at the Wayback Machine
The 16th Legislature, Saipan Tribune, 2008-01-14 Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine

This Northern Marianas-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] N.M.I. Const. art. II, § 14(b).

[2] "Democrats take control of CNMI House of Representatives". Radio New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand. January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.

[5] Erediano, Emmanuel T. (December 26, 2026). "Villagomez to be House speaker again, Mendiola to lead Senate". Marianas Variety.

[6] Erediano, Emmanuel T. (January 13, 2023). "San Nicolas is House minority leader". Marianas Variety. Retrieved February 1, 2023.

[7] De La Torre, Ferdie (December 17, 2020). "Majority in 22nd House a toss-up". Saipan Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.

[8] Commonwealth Election Commission, "Proclamation - Special Election for the Third Election District (Precint 3)," August 19, 2021

[9] "Magofna Wins Northern Mariana Islands Special Election". 18 October 2021.

[10] Sablan, Jesus I. (Chair) (November 11, 2022). "Official General Election Results". Commonwealth Election Commission. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.

[3] One Republican voted with the Democratic–Independent coalition to elect the speaker of the House.^[2]

[4] A special election for Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives District 3 was called for October 16, 2021 after the seat became vacant after Ivan A. Blanco (R) died while in office on July 23, 2021. Corina L. Magofna (D) won.

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v t e Members of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
23rd Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Legislature (2022–2024) Speaker of the House Edmund Villagomez (I) Vice Speaker Joel C. Camacho (I) Floor Leader Ed Propst (D) Minority Leader Patrick H. San Nicolas (R)
▌Ed Propst (D) ▌Vincent Seman Aldan (I) ▌Joseph Arriola Flores (I) ▌Roy Christopher Aldan Ada (R) ▌Diego Vincent Fejeran Camacho (D) ▌Roman Cepeda Benavente (I) ▌Manny Castro (I) ▌John Paul Palacios Sablan (I) ▌Blas Jonathan "BJ" Tenorio Attao (I) ▌Edmund Villagomez (I) ▌ Ralph Naraja Yumul (I) ▌Denita Kaipat Yangetmai (D) ▌ Marissa Renee Flores (I) ▌Vicente Castro Camacho (D) ▌ Malcolm Jason Omar (I) ▌ Joel Castro Camacho (I) ▌ Angelo Atalig Camacho (I) ▌Thomas John Dela Cruz Manglona (R) ▌Patrick Hofschneider San Nicolas (R) ▌ Julie Marie Atalig Ogo (I)
▌Democratic (4) ▌Republican (3) ▌Independent (13)

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