Election Runoffs: CNMI voters return to the polls Nov. 20 for governor and attorney general after no candidate cleared 50%. Ralph Torres leads the governor’s race with 49.5% and faces BJ Attao; Michael Evangelista and Joaquin Torres will compete for AG. Delegate Kim King-Hinds won reelection. Seabed Mining: NOAA says more than 95% of the Marianas and Guam ocean floor has now been mapped, as federal officials prepare a Dec. 16 mineral lease sale near the CNMI. Indigenous advocates formally objected to the review, citing inadequate consultation and the waters’ cultural significance; a pending court ruling on a similar Samoa sale could affect the Marianas plan. Military Plans: The Air Force proposes more than 6,000 annual aircraft operations at four CNMI airfields on Saipan, Tinian and Rota, and will assess potential impacts in an environmental review. Utilities: A hearing administrator recommends approving CUC’s three-year rate plan despite public opposition. Commissioners are expected to vote Nov. 20, with the first increases proposed for Dec. 1. CUC also warns of possible weekend power interruptions in northern Saipan. Population: Census projections show the CNMI population could fall another 17% by 2100, amid declining fertility and continued outmigration.