# 2008 Palauan general election

General elections were held in Palau on 4 November 2008 to elect the President and members of the National Congress. The presidential election was won by Johnson Toribiong. Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau was ineligible to run because he had served the maximum two consecutive terms allowed and announced that he would run for a seat in the Senate.
This was the first election in Palau in which presidential candidates ran with a declared vice-presidential candidates. In previous elections, the President and vice-presidents had been elected separately, and the winners of those elections served as a "national leadership team".

## Presidential candidates

Primary elections were held on 23 September, with two candidates progressing to the general election in November. Four candidates registered for the primary elections:
* Elias Camsek Chin – The incumbent Vice-President was seeking a promotion to the Palauan presidency. His running mate was Senator Alan R. Seid.
* Johnson Toribiong – He is the current Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan), and he was running with Delegate Kerai Mariur.
* Surangel S. Whipps – He is the President of the Senate and his running mate was Billy Kuartei, the Chief of Staff for President Remengesau.
* Joshua Koshiba – He is a Senator and his running mate was Governor of Peleliu Jackson Ngiraingas.

## Campaign

All four presidential candidates and their running mates held rallies throughout Palau. Campaigning also took place in overseas Palauan communities in the mainland United States, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
A total of 43 candidates ran for the thirteen seats in the Senate, while 44 candidates contested the sixteen seats in the House of Delegates. A record ten women were competing for seats in the Senate and House of Delegates, with seven women running for the at large Senate race.

## Results
### President

Elias Chin and Johnson Toribiong were the top two vote-getters in the primary elections. Chin and Toribiong then faced each other in the general election. In early, preliminary results Toribiong held a 130-vote lead over Chin, with 1,629 votes to Chin's 1,499. Toribiong and his running mate, Kerai Mariur, were declared the winner of the election on 7 November. It was reported that Toribiong had received a concession phone call from Vice-President Chin.
| Candidate | Running mate | Primary | Primary | General | General |
| Candidate | Running mate | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| Elias Camsek Chin | Alan Seid | 3,027 | 32.95 | 4,828 | 48.93 |
| Johnson Toribiong | Kerai Mariur | 2,526 | 27.49 | 5,040 | 51.07 |
| Surangel Whipps | Billy Kuartei | 2,248 | 24.47 | | |
| Joshua Koshiba | Jackson Ngiraingas | 1,387 | 15.10 | | |
| Total | Total | 9,188 | 100.00 | 9,868 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 9,188 | 98.85 | 9,868 | 94.26 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 107 | 1.15 | 601 | 5.74 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 9,295 | 100.00 | 10,469 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | | | 14,289 | 73.27 |
| Source: Shuster ||||||

### Senate

Surangel Whipps, Jr. made history by becoming the first Senator to win by write-in. He also received the highest percentage (65%) of votes of any senatorial candidate since his father achieved 73.5% of the vote.
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Independents | 121,994 | 100.00 | 13 | +4 |
| Total | Total | 121,994 | 100.00 | 13 | +4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 10,469 | – | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 14,289 | 73.27 | | |
| Source: IPU ||||||

#### Elected members

* Surangel Whipps Jr. (6,461)
* Raynold Oilouch (6,073)
* Mlib Tmetuchl (5,360)
* Joel Toribiong (5,086)
* Katharine Kesolei (4,947)
* Mark U. Rudimch (4,891)
* Hokkons Baules (4,437)
* Adalbert Eledui (3,934)
* Regina Mesebeluu(3,731)
* Alfonso N. Diaz (3,603)
* Tommy Remengesau Jr. (3,579)
* Regis Akitaya (3,144)
* Paul Ueki (3,044)

### House of Delegates

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Independents | 5,853 | 100.00 | 16 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 5,853 | 100.00 | 16 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 5,853 | 96.01 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 243 | 3.99 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 6,096 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 14,289 | 42.66 | | |
| Source: IPU ||||||

#### By state

| State | Candidate | Votes | Notes |
| Aimeliik | Kalistus Ngirturong | 269 | Elected |
| Aimeliik | Warren Umetaro | 182 |
| Airai | Tmewang Rengulbai | 525 | Elected |
| Airai | Noah Secharraimul | 389 |
| Angaur | Horace Rafael | 172 | Elected |
| Angaur | Natus Misech | 121 |
| Hatohobei | Wayne Andrew | 40 | Elected |
| Hatohobei | Sebastian Marino | 35 |
| Hatohobei | Huan Hosei | 33 |
| Kayangel | Noah Kemesong | 180 | Elected |
| Kayangel | Jeffrey Titiml | 120 |
| Koror | Alexander Merep | 1,845 | Elected |
| Koror | Salvador Tellames | 700 |
| Koror | Hilaro Ngiraidong | 385 |
| Melekeok | Lentcer Basilius | 171 | Elected |
| Melekeok | Teodoro Rengulbai | 99 |
| Melekeok | Kazuo Asanuma | 81 |
| Melekeok | Danny Ongelungel | 60 |
| Ngaraard | Gibson Kanai | 422 | Elected |
| Ngaraard | Salvador Remoket | 358 |
| Ngarchelong | Marhence Madrangchar | 203 | Elected |
| Ngarchelong | Faustina Rehuher-Marugg | 191 |
| Ngarchelong | Dilmai Saiske | 188 |
| Ngarchelong | Don Bukurrow | 164 |
| Ngardmau | Rebluud Kesolei | 193 | Elected |
| Ngardmau | Balkuu Kumangai | 92 |
| Ngaremlengui | Swenny Ongidobel | 218 | Elected |
| Ngaremlengui | Portia Franz | 136 |
| Ngaremlengui | Alonzo Kyota | 83 |
| Ngatpang | Jerry Nabeyama | 97 | Elected |
| Ngatpang | Valentino Emesiochel | 89 |
| Ngchesar | Secilil Eldebechel | 112 | Elected |
| Ngchesar | Moses Uludong | 99 |
| Ngchesar | Sirino Hideo | 52 |
| Ngchesar | Zacheus Kotaro | 44 |
| Ngchesar | Marcello Ngirkelau | 42 |
| Ngchesar | Bonifacio Basilius | 22 |
| Ngiwal | Noah Idechong | 125 | Elected |
| Ngiwal | Krispin Termeteet | 52 |
| Ngiwal | Francis Llecholch | 41 |
| Peleliu | Jonathan Isechal | 338 | Elected |
| Peleliu | Sinton Soalablai | 256 |
| Sonsorol | Celestin Yangilmau | 61 | Elected |
| Sonsorol | Edwin Mario | 42 |
| Sonsorol | Marcelino Xavier | 30 |
| Source: Psephos ||||