15 Mar 2005

Candidate edged out in bid to become first female in Micronesia Congress

8:11 pm on 15 March 2005

An election candidate has failed in her bid to become the first female member of Congress in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The director of the elections office, Bernell Edward, says the businesswoman Hanna Majares failed to take the seat in a district of Chuuk state after last week's vote.

Mr Edward says the incumbent won 1-thousand, 9-hundred and 14 votes, and Ms Majares won 1-thousand, 1-hundred and 78 votes.

Mr Edward says that result isn't yet official but is unlikely to change because only two boxes containing a small number of ballot papers remain to be counted.

The Federated States of Micronesia has three women in state legislatures, with the last elected in Pohnpei two years ago, but there are no women in national politics.