THIS Saturday, more than 48,000 of the island’s registered voters will head to 58 precincts to cast their ballots for the 2012 primary elections. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Be sure to have an official Guam ID, Guam driver’s license or U.S. Passport when voting.

According to Guam Election Commission Executive Director Maria Pangelinan, the deadline to register to vote in the primary was last week Wednesday, Aug. 22.

On the primary ballot are 15 Democrats and 16 Republicans seeking a chance to be in the 32nd Guam Legislature. All the Democrats are guaranteed to go on to the general election. On the GOP side, only one candidate will be ousted after Saturday.

For Guam’s non-voting delegate to Congress position, there are five candidates: two Democrats, one Republican, one Independent, and a write-in candidate.

There is also a race for the Office of Public Accountability position, with one official candidate, Doris Flores Brooks, and write-in candidate Carl Gutierrez.

Also on the ballot are candidates running for mayor in 19 villages and vice mayor in seven of the 19 villages.

All the precincts, Pangelinan assured, have officials designated to take care of registered voters.

“We have people assigned. And those who don’t show are replaced with alternates,” Pangelinan said, adding they are still taking applications for the alternates.

'Curbside voting'

For registered voters who are unable to get out of their vehicles and walk to their designated polls, Pangelinan said precinct officials will go to them and have them fill out a ballot, known as “curbside voting.”

Another service offered for registered voters include those who cannot leave their home for medical reasons.

“Homebound voters are being serviced by GEC staff and GEC staff will continue this service,” Pangelinan said. She didn’t have a number as to how many voters are homebound, saying they are still receiving applications.

All precinct officials are “required” to be at the appropriate polling places at 6 a.m. this Saturday to prepare their areas before they open their doors.

Once the precincts are closed at 8 p.m., all precinct officials, along with the ballot boxes, are transported via bus with police escort to election central at the University of Guam Field House.

Pangelinan said Precincts 16, 16A, 16B, and 16C (Mangilao) should be the first to submit their ballot count. Mangilao’s precincts are located in the UOG Field House. She expects the Mangilao precincts to be followed by Barrigada, Chalan Pågo/Ordot and Yoña, due to their close proximity.

With regard to when the first results should start coming in, Pangelinan couldn’t comment on the time frame since it is the first time she is overseeing the process. In past elections, results usually start coming in at around 10 p.m.

All four ballot machines, Pangelinan said, will be inspected and prepped up starting tomorrow for test runs. Another set of test runs will be done at election central.

With regard to absentee voting for those who are living off-island, the last day for them to apply for absentee ballots is three days before the primary election. For those who are not going to be on Guam for the primary, the last day to vote is Friday, Aug. 31.