The outcome of absentee voting for the Northern Marianas' first-ever congressional delegate is expected to uphold the victory of independent candidate Gregorio Sablan in the election precincts.
Election results will not be final until the absentee votes are counted on November 18.
The Commonwealth Election Commission had mailed out 1,118 absentee ballots and had received 655 returns as of Tuesday.
But key political figures said yesterday that any of the three other candidates still remaining in the race are not likely to cut into Mr Sablan's lead with absentee votes.
Currently, Mr Sablan holds a 360-vote margin over his closest rival, Washington Resident Representative Pete Tenorio.
The other candidates who still could upset the vote count, John Gonzales and retired judge Juan Lizama, are behind Mr Sablan by 539 votes and 668 votes, respectively.
Although pleased with his relatively commanding lead, Mr Sablan is hesitant to declare an early victory.
Some 13,000 voters from Saipan, Tinian, Rota and the Northern Islands registered to vote.
Of the nearly 12,000 precinct voters, only 9,408 showed up at the polling stations.
