Northern Mariana Islands Senate | |
|---|---|
| Senate | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
New session started | 23rd Legislature |
| Leadership | |
Vice President | Corina Magofna since July 31, 2025 |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | Vacant since January 9, 2023 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 9 |
 | |
Political groups | Majority Caucus (7)
Minority Caucus (2)
|
| Elections | |
Last election | November 5, 2024 |
Next election | 2026 |
| Website | |
| https://cnmileg.net/senate.asp | |
 |
|---|
TheNorthern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of theNorthern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts (Saipan &the Northern Islands,Tinian &Aguijan, andRota), each a multi-member constituency with three senators.
Maria Frica Pangelinan was the first woman to serve in the Senate.[1]
In the event of a vacancy that occurs less than two years before the end of the Senator's term, theGovernor of the Northern Mariana Islands appoints the runner-up of the most recent election. Should that individual decline, the next highest vote getting, unsuccessful candidate become the prospective appointee. Should all the previous candidate's decline, the Governor would then choose an eligible citizen for consideration.[2] In the event a vacancy occurs more than two years before the next scheduled election, a special election is held.[3]
In the 24th Commonwealth Legislature, the majority caucus consists of four Republicans and three allied independent lawmakers.Karl King-Nabors became President of the Senate afterDennis C. Mendiola was elevated to lieutenant governor after the death ofArnold Palacios.Corina Magofna became Vice President in July 2025. Since the start of the 24th Commonwealth Legislature,Francisco Q. Cruz andDonald M. Manglona have served as legislative secretary and Floor Leader respectively. Ronnie M. Calvo is a member of the majority caucus.[4][5] As of August 2025, eight of the nine senators make up the majority caucus as all Senators except Celina Babauta are either committee chairs or in a leadership position.[6]
| District | Name | Party | Caucus | Took Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Rota | Donald M. Manglona | Independent | Majority | January 9, 2023[7] |
| Ronnie Mendiola Calvo | Independent | Majority | January 13, 2025 | |
| Paul Manglona | Republican[citation needed] | Majority | July 31, 2025 | |
| 2 Tinian | Jude Hofschneider | Republican | Majority | January 12, 2015[8] |
| Francisco Q. Cruz | Republican | Majority | January 11, 2010[9] | |
| Karl King-Nabors | Republican | Majority | January 11, 2021[10] | |
| 3 Saipan | Celina Babauta | Democratic | Minority | January 9, 2023[7] |
| Corina Magofna | Independent | Majority | January 9, 2023[7] | |
| Manny Castro | Democratic | Majority | January 13, 2025 |
In the November 2007 elections, the three senators up for re-election were all re-elected to another four-year term in the 16th and 17th Senate. TheCovenant Party, which lost control of theHouse, entered intocoalition with theDemocrats and a loneIndependent over the Senate's leadership and voting agenda. The CNMI Senate was controlled in 2016 by a Republican majority underSenate President Francisco Borja.[11]
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority/plurality) | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Independent | Democratic | Covenant | Vacant | ||
| End of 17th Legislature | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Beginning of 18th Legislature | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| End of 18th Legislature | 5 | 3 | 1[12] | |||
| Beginning of 19th Legislature | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| End of 19th Legislature | 6 | 3 | ||||
| 20th Legislature | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 21st Legislature | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 22nd Legislature | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 23rd Legislature | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 24th Legislature | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 77.8% | 22.2% | ||||
