Overview:

Ngaraard State’s 12th General Election delivered another razor-thin race for governor, with incumbent Sharp Sakuma leading by just 11 votes in unofficial results. Turnout was strikingly low at 39%, and final absentee and special ballots—set to be counted next week—could still shift the outcome.

By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang

Ngaraard, Palau (Nov. 13, 2025) — Unofficial results from Ngaraard State’s 12th General Election show incumbent Gov. Sharp Sakuma leading a close race for governor, echoing the razor-thin margin that decided the previous election four years ago.

Incumbent Governor Sharp Sakuma leads in the Ngaraard gubernatorial race but with think margins, the outcome will be clear after absentee votes tally on November 18, 2025.

Sakuma, one of four write-in candidates, received 206 votes, narrowly edging out former Gov. Ben Iskawa, who trailed by just 11 votes with 195. Keizy Shiro followed with 33 votes, and Hefflin Bai received 30.

Voter turnout was notably low, with only 483 of Ngaraard’s 1,252 registered voters casting ballots, marking a participation rate of just 39%. Of these, 241 ballots were cast at the central polling station in Koror and 242 in Ngaraard Proper.

According to the Palau Election Commission (PEC), 81 absentee ballots were sent to voters overseas, along with 14 walk-in and 2 confined votes. These ballots will be counted next Thursday, following election regulations allowing up to seven days for mailed votes to arrive postmarked by Election Day.

Ben Iskawa, former governor and now candidate, is close second in the race for the Office of Governor of Ngaraard State. Absentee votes will determine the final outcome of the race.

In the race for the State Assembly, results by county were as follows:

• Choll County (96 votes cast): Saburo Remoket – 56; James Miwata Elidchedong – 31
• Chelab County (84 votes cast): Harvey Ngirairikl – 55
• Ngebuked County (132 votes cast): George Matsuda – 94
• Ulimang County (100 votes cast): Ngitong Osubedereng – 65; Francis Elkang – 33
• Ngkeklau County (71 votes cast): Leon Debengek – 30

For At-large Assembly seats, the top vote-getters were:

1. Gibson Kanai Jr. (Shiro) – 348
2. John R. Temengil – 266
3. Marcy Andrew – 238
4. Duane Tochi – 238
5. Wilbert Ngirakemerang – 237
6. Ishmael Sokau Imetengel – 163
7. Jacob Ngirablosch – 158

Voter participation by age group was also low across the board, with turnout highest among those aged 60–74 (42.6%), followed by 45–59 (39.4%), 18–29 (38.8%), 75+ (37.1%), and 30–44 (26.9%).

By county, Ngebuked saw the highest turnout at 41.8%, while Ngkeklau had the lowest at 33.3%. Gender data showed men voted at a slightly higher rate (38.7%) than women (35.5%), even though women make up a majority of Ngaraard’s registered voters — 691 women (55.2%) compared to 561 men (44.8%).

This year’s close race mirrors the 11th Ngaraard General Election, when Sakuma also led Iskawa by 11 votes in the initial count — 271 to 260 — before absentee and special ballots gave Sakuma a narrow victory, 287 to 281.

PEC Executive Director Sherwin Yamaguchi said final results will be announced next week after all absentee and special ballots are tallied, leaving the outcome once again too close to call.

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