Guam Legislature advances bill narrowing registration-clerk appointment window from 45 to 21 days
December 02, 2025 | General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
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A floor session of the Guam Legislature on Nov. 20 advanced Bill 185‑38 as amended to the third‑reading (voting) file after senators debated changes to voter‑registration timelines.
The sponsor said the bill responds to feedback from the Guam Election Commission and operational changes — including centralized voter registration, online registration and the motor‑voter process — by shortening the appointment period for registration clerks from 45 days to 21 days before an election and harmonizing deadlines so volunteer/online/motor voter registration would close 21 days before an election while district and mayor’s‑office registrations and certain GEC processes would close 15 days before an election. “It shortens the appointment period to 21 days before an election, not just general elections,” the sponsor said on the floor.
Senator Talahi raised a point of order and asked whether a committee amendment to change a statutory cutoff from 10 days to 15 days would apply to in‑office registration at the Guam Election Commission main office. Talahi said the bill as amended looked like it might restrict in‑office registrations and moved to delete the provision, arguing that walk‑in registrations at the GEC had historically been allowed up to 10 days before an election and that shortening that period could discourage participation.
The sponsor and supporters said the 15‑day language is intended to standardize deadlines at the commission and in district offices, providing GEC sufficient time to process new registrations, verify eligibility, print ballots and finalize precinct lists. The sponsor said the commission had requested the technical correction to ensure consistency between the statute and the election manual and emphasized the change carried no fiscal impact.
After debate and an objection from the sponsor, the Legislature called the question on the deletion amendment; the motion to delete the section failed. The sponsor then moved Bill 185‑38 as amended by committee to the voting file; there were no objections and the motion was ordered.
What’s next: Bill 185‑38 has been placed on the third‑reading/voting file; any final passage or amendments will be recorded at that stage.
The sponsor said the bill responds to feedback from the Guam Election Commission and operational changes — including centralized voter registration, online registration and the motor‑voter process — by shortening the appointment period for registration clerks from 45 days to 21 days before an election and harmonizing deadlines so volunteer/online/motor voter registration would close 21 days before an election while district and mayor’s‑office registrations and certain GEC processes would close 15 days before an election. “It shortens the appointment period to 21 days before an election, not just general elections,” the sponsor said on the floor.
Senator Talahi raised a point of order and asked whether a committee amendment to change a statutory cutoff from 10 days to 15 days would apply to in‑office registration at the Guam Election Commission main office. Talahi said the bill as amended looked like it might restrict in‑office registrations and moved to delete the provision, arguing that walk‑in registrations at the GEC had historically been allowed up to 10 days before an election and that shortening that period could discourage participation.
The sponsor and supporters said the 15‑day language is intended to standardize deadlines at the commission and in district offices, providing GEC sufficient time to process new registrations, verify eligibility, print ballots and finalize precinct lists. The sponsor said the commission had requested the technical correction to ensure consistency between the statute and the election manual and emphasized the change carried no fiscal impact.
After debate and an objection from the sponsor, the Legislature called the question on the deletion amendment; the motion to delete the section failed. The sponsor then moved Bill 185‑38 as amended by committee to the voting file; there were no objections and the motion was ordered.
What’s next: Bill 185‑38 has been placed on the third‑reading/voting file; any final passage or amendments will be recorded at that stage.
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