Palau 2024 elections: apathy, ignorance or shortage of candidates?

With nearly five months to go until Palau’s crucial national election, the usual candidate announcements are nowhere to be seen. Aside from a few contenders for the presidency (which has also seen significantly fewer announcements than in previous elections), there is a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the races for the House of Representatives and Senate positions.
Historically, by this time of year, roads from Koror to Ngarchilong and other states would be lined with colorful billboards promoting candidates. But this year, there were few billboards for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, and the streets were unusually clean of campaign materials.
Only two of the 16 states have potential challengers for representative seats. Most incumbent representatives and senators have not yet publicly announced their candidacy, although their actions suggest they plan to hold on to their seats. Of the 13 senators, only two new candidates, Ann Singeo and Vierra Toribion​​g, have expressed interest in running.
Why are voters so reluctant to vote compared to the 2020, 2016, or 2012 elections? In 2020, there were 26 candidates for the 13 Senate seats, twice as many as there are now. Now, there are only two new candidates.
Speculation is rife. Some potential candidates said they were waiting to take a stand, though they did not explain why and said it was too early to tell.
Conversations with a variety of people, including former officeholders and those involved, suggest several reasons. Some are too busy rebuilding their lives or see little point in running because of the entrenched hierarchy in the House and Senate. Others believe there simply aren’t enough capable people willing to run, leading to a system that reuses the same people and fosters voter apathy.
Another theory is that potential candidates wait until the last minute to avoid addressing complex current issues that they find difficult to express to voters.
Potential candidates are generally concerned about the high cost of campaigning. One prospective candidate said he could not afford the campaign, claiming: “Only people in office can run because they have government funds that they can use under the guise of being employed. We cannot compete with them.”
Whatever the reason, the lack of announced candidates means voters may not know who they are voting for or what those candidates stand for on important issues. The upcoming 2024 election has the potential to become a popularity contest based on current status, family ties, and positions with the presidential candidates.
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