Overview:
Incumbent Ngarchelong Governor Dwight Ngiraibai won a decisive majority in Friday’s state primary, capturing 50.1% of votes cast — but the race to determine who will challenge him in the August 25 general election remains unresolved. With only five votes separating second-place finisher Hadley Renguul from third-place Kayama Shiro, the Palau Election Commission will not confirm Ngiraibai’s opponent until absentee and walk-in ballots are tallied on July 3.
By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
Ngarchelong, Palau (June 25, 2026) — Incumbent Ngarchelong Governor Dwight Ngiraibai won a commanding victory in Friday’s state primary election.
According to the Palau Election Commission, of the 1,166 registered voters, 463 cast ballots on election day, a turnout of 39.7%. Ngiraibai received 232 votes – 50.1% of ballots cast- while challenger Hadley Renguul took 115 votes, 24.8%, and Kayama Shiro received 110 votes, 23.7%. Due to the low 5-vote margin between Renguul and Shiro, it is too close to call who will face Ngiraibai in the August 25 general election after absentee and walk-in ballots are counted.
PEC recorded that 67 absentee ballots were mailed — mainly to Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. mainland. There were also walk-in ballots cast. As of now, 28 absentee ballots have returned to Palau. PEC had established July 3rd as the deadline date for receiving absentee ballots, which is also when all votes will be tallied, and the final results will be announced.
After the final tabulation, PEC will confirm Ngiraibai’s challenger in the General Election to be held on August 25. In that General election, voters will also elect members of the Ngarchelong State Assembly. PEC has received four candidacy petitions so far. The filing deadline for petitions to the Ngarchelong Assembly is July 27.
Despite pre-election expectations of a close contest, Ngiraibai secured a majority of votes in the primary, topping the field with just over half of the ballots cast.
