A firsthand look at democracy in motion

Observing Guam’s ballot counting and certification process

By Joseph B.D. Arriola

I arrived at the Guam Election Commission provisional and absentee counting center at the Westin Resort and Spa on Aug. 15 with a sense of purpose and anticipation. This was the first time I had ever attended a ballot-counting and certification proceeding. I wanted to see the process directly—not through speculation, not through secondhand commentary and not through the persistent wondering that so often surrounds election integrity and the horror stories. I went because I wanted clarity. I left with it.

From the outset, the environment was structured and disciplined. Staff moved with a purpose, each step governed by established procedures designed to protect accuracy and fairness. The chain‑of‑custody protocols were followed with precision.

Every ballot envelope, every cross‑check was handled with a seriousness that reflected the weight of the task. There was no improvisation, no deviation, no casual handling of responsibilities. The process was built to withstand scrutiny, and it showed.

Observers, including myself, were positioned where we could clearly see the work without interfering with it. The atmosphere was quiet, focused and methodical. It was not tense. It was not chaotic. It was the kind of environment that emerges only when people understand the responsibility placed upon them. The staff did not perform for the audience; they performed for the integrity of the election. That distinction matters.

As the provisional ballots were reviewed, the criteria for acceptance or rejection were applied consistently. Each decision was documented. Each ballot was treated as a singular civic act deserving of careful evaluation. The absentee ballots followed the same disciplined pattern.

Verification steps were deliberate, and the counting itself was conducted with visible accountability. Watching the process firsthand removed the fog of speculation. No more wondering whether ballot integrity was compromised. No more relying on rumor or assumption.

We consistently read in major news outlets about how election integrity has been compromised in this state and that state. I can tell you firsthand: those states could learn from our own Guam Election Commission. The transparency, discipline and procedural rigor I witnessed stand as an example of how election administration should be conducted—not with theatrics, but with structure, accountability, and respect for the voter.

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Certification was procedural, structured, and grounded in the rules that govern election administration. It was not dramatic, but it was significant. Certification is the moment when preliminary numbers become official results—when the system affirms that the work has been done correctly, transparently, and in accordance with the law. Seeing that moment unfold underscored the importance of institutional trust.

I would like to close with this: Un Dångkulu Na Si Yu’us Ma’åse to the staff,  management, and the Board of Directors of the Guam Election Commission, and especially to Ms. Maria Pangelinan, executive director. Your leadership, discipline, and commitment to process are evident in every step of the work. The system's integrity is strengthened because you insist on doing things the right way.

Joseph B.D. Arriola is a resident of Dededo. He is a senatorial candidate for the 39th Guam Legislature.

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