GEC to certify election results, recount for 2 in senatorial race

The Guam Election Commission will be meeting Wednesday afternoon to certify the results of the 2024 general election. There also will be a recount for the 15th and 16th slots in the senatorial race, according to GEC Executive Director Maria Pangelinan.

Those slots pertain to Republican candidate Eulogio Shawn Gumataotao and Democratic incumbent candidate Roy Quinata, respectively. The two were just a couple of hundred votes away from each other, according to the unofficial election results.

But even if Quinata manages to take the 15th slot from Gumataotao, Republicans will still maintain a majority in the 38th Guam Legislature, since that would still leave eight Republican senators out of the 15 senators who make up the lawmaking body.

Those eight Republican senators-elect include incumbent Sens. Jesse Lujan, Frank Blas Jr., Chris Duenas and Telo Taitague. The other Republic senators-elect are Vicente "Tony" Ada, Sabrina Matanane, Shelly Calvo and Vincent Borja.

Democratic incumbent candidates reelected are current Speaker Therese Terlaje and Sens. Chris Barnett, Joe San Agustin, Tina Muña Barnes, William Parkinson and Sabina Perez.

Three other incumbent lawmakers, Sens. Dwayne San Nicolas, Joanne Brown and Thomas Fisher, lost their seats this election based on the unofficial results. Those three placed 17th, 18th and 20th, respectively.

The Republican Party of Guam has announced that Blas, currently the minority leader in the 37th Guam Legislature, will serve as speaker next term. Ada will serve as the vice speaker, while Matanane will be the legislative secretary. Lujan was chosen to serve as the majority leader and Calvo will be the majority whip.

Ada also will lead the legislative Committee on Rules, while Duenas will lead the Appropriations Committee.