Jose Toves "Pedo" Terlaje (September 23, 1946 – January 2023) was a Guamanian politician. Terlaje served as a senator in the

Guam Legislature The Legislature of Guam ( ch, Liheslaturan Guåhan) is the law-making body for the United States territory of Guam. The unicameral legislative branch consists of fifteen senators, each serving for a two-year term. All members of the legislature a ...

Guam Legislature
''Senators''
Hagatna, Guam. and Chairperson of the Committee on Public Safety, Border Safety, Military and Veteran Affairs, Mayors Council, Infrastructure and Public Transit.Guam Legislature
''Legislative Committees''
Hagatna, Guam.

Early life and education

Jose Toves "Pedo" Terlaje was born in

Yona, Guam Yona ( ch, Yoʼña ) is a village in the United States territory of Guam. History Yona was historically a farming community but today is mostly residential. During World War II, the Japanese forced the indigenous Chamorros to march from camps ...

on September 23, 1946. Terlaje graduated from George Washington Senior High School in 1967. He earned an Associate of Arts in Political Science and subsequently a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

in Business and Public Administration from the

University of Guam University of Guam ( ch, Unibetsedåt Guåhan) (U.O.G.) is a public land-grant university in Mangilao, Guam. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and offers thirty-four degree programs at the undergraduate level a ...

in 1979.

Political career

Santos-Terlaje's HITA Campaign

In 1998, incumbent Governor Carl T.C. Gutierrez and Lieutenant Governor

Madeleine Z. Bordallo Madeleine Mary Zeien Bordallo (; born May 31, 1933) is an American-Guamanian politician who served as the delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2019. She is the first woman ever to serve as Guam' ...

had two Democratic primary election challenges for

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and Lieutenant Governor of Guam. Pedo Terlaje was chosen as the running mate of Senator Angel L.G. Santos under the slogan Honesty, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (HITA), and Senator Thomas C. Ada ran with Senator Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero. The "HITA" ticket placed 3rd in the Democratic gubernatorial primary on September 5, 1998 with 19% of the Democratic primary votes.

Mayor of Yona

Terlaje was first elected to serve as Mayor of

in the 2000 general election. He was reelected to two more terms in 2004 and 2008, respectively. His tenure as Mayor was from 2001 to 2013.

Guam Legislature

Elections

Terlaje ran for the 29th Guam Legislature in 2006. He placed 7th in the Democratic primary election in August, advancing to the general election. He placed 23rd in the general election in November and did not earn a seat in the legislature. Terlaje ran for the 35th Guam Legislature in 2018. He placed 11th in the Democratic primary election in August, advancing to the general election. He placed 15th in the general election in November, earning a seat in the legislature.

Leadership roles

*35th Guam Legislature - Committee on Public Safety, Border Safety, Military and Veteran Affairs, Mayors Council, Infrastructure and Public Transit

Personal life and death

Terlaje died in January 2023, at the age of 76.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Terlaje, Jose Toves 1946 births 2023 deaths 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians Guamanian Democrats Members of the Legislature of Guam University of Guam alumni Mayors of Yona, Guam