Election Administration: The Commonwealth Election Commission held 2026 ballot-placement raffles, with gubernatorial tickets drawing ballot numbers (Tenorio/Sablan No. 1; Torres/Jones No. 2; Fejeran Camacho/Deleon Guerrero No. 3) as the Nov. 3 race gears up. Voter Roll Update: CEC reported 18,022 registered voters as of Aug. 7, with more drives planned ahead of the Sept. 4 registration deadline. Candidate Certification: CEC certified 73 of 75 candidates after reviewing petitions, leaving two still in limbo—Saipan mayoral candidate Luis Sablan (signatures) and Northern Islands mayoral candidate Keli Tenorio (residency challenge). Public Safety: CNMI mayors jointly asked the DEA for immediate help against a methamphetamine epidemic they say has overwhelmed local resources. Tourism & Federal Rules: The Marianas Visitors Authority is reviewing DHS’s new EVS-TAP vetting requirements for Chinese travelers, warning any major changes must be communicated to the CNMI. Legal System: A federal court ordered Amalia Abo Guanlao to explain why her lawsuit should not be dismissed after she failed to serve defendants for nearly a year. Disaster Recovery: FEMA and SBA deadlines and Rota-only assistance remain in focus after Super Typhoon Bavi, while IRS tax relief extends certain federal filing and payment deadlines to Feb. 1, 2027.