Parliamentary elections were held in the

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1994. History Spain initially claimed the islands that later composed the territory of the Trus ...

on 2 November 1976, except in Palau, where they were delayed until 7 December due to a legal challenge over redistricting. They were the last territory-wide elections; the planned elections in 1978 were cancelled as the territory was split into the

Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...

, the

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Internati ...

and

Palau Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...

Electoral system

The bicameral

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

consisted of a 12-member Senate with two members from each of the six

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

and a 22-member House of Representatives with seats apportioned to each district based on their population – seven from Truk, five from the

, four from

Ponape Ponape may refer to: * Pohnpei, an island in the Federated States of Micronesia * ''Ponape'' (barque), a German sailing ship {{disambiguation ...

, three from

, two from

Yap Yap ( yap, Waqaab) traditionally refers to an island group located in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, a part of Yap State. The name "Yap" in recent years has come to also refer to the state within the Federated States of Micro ...

and one from the new district of

Kosrae Kosrae ( ), formerly known as Kusaie or Strong's Island, is an island in the Federated States of Micronesia. The State of Kosrae is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, and includes the main island of Kosrae and a few near ...

. The Marianas district (which had previously elected three representatives) ceased to exist when the

Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territory and commonw ...

became a US commonwealth in 1975. Elections were held every two years in November of even-numbered years, with all members of the House of Representatives and half the Senate (one member from each district) renewed at each election. Two senators were elected from the new district of Kosrae in 1976.

Results

Senate

House of Representatives

Aftermath

Following the elections,

Tosiwo Nakayama was the first President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He served two terms from 1979 until 1987. Biography Nakayama was born on November 23, 1931, on Piserach Island, part of Nomwunweito Atoll in what is now Chuuk State. At the tim ...

was re-elected President of the Senate, whilst Bethwel Henry was re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.COM Organizes, Elects Officers
''Highlights'', 15 January 1977, p3

References

{{Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands elections

Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another * Trust (bus ...

Elections in the Federated States of Micronesia Elections in the Marshall Islands Elections in Palau 1976 in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands