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Guam Government

What is the capital of Guam?

Country Name Guam
Full Country Name none
Abbreviation GU
Local - Long none
Local - Short Guahan
Etymology- history of name the native Chamorro name for the island "Guahan" (meaning "we have" or "ours") was changed to Guam in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, whereby Spain relinquished Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the US
Government Type unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Capital Name Hagatna (Agana)
Capital - geographic coordinate 13 28 N, 144 44 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence none (territory of the US)
National Holiday Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution history: effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution)

amendments: amended many times, last in 2015
Dependency Status unincorporated organized territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the Federal Government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior, Washington, DC

Guam Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Guam Government and Politics

Who is the president of Guam?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala D. HARRIS (since 20 January 2021)

head of government: Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019); Lieutenant Governor Josh TENORIO (since 7 January 2019)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms); gubernatorial election last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2026)

election results: 2022: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO reelected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 55%, Felix CAMACHO (Republican Party) 44%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor
Citizenship Criteria: see United States
Legal System: common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Legislative Branch: description: unicameral Legislature of Guam or Liheslaturan Guahan (15 seats; members elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms)

Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as the delegate to the US House of Representatives; note - the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote

elections: Guam Legislature - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on November 2024)

delegate to the US House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on November 2024)

election results: Guam Legislature - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, Republican Party 5; composition - men 5, women 10, percent of women 66.7%

Guam delegate to the US House of Representatives - Democratic Party 1 (man)
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices); note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are referred to the US Supreme Court

judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life subject to retention election every 10 years

subordinate courts: Superior Court of Guam - includes several divisions; US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)
Regions or States: none (territory of the US)
Political Parties and Leaders: Democratic Party [Anthony "Tony" M. BABAUTA]

Republican Party [Juan Carlos BENITEZ]
International Organization Participation: AOSIS (observer), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU
Diplomatic Representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic Representation from US: embassy: none (territory of the US)
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