Voters elected all 14 members of the first FSM Congress (four at-large senators and ten two-year members), all as independents.

What happened

This was the first election under the constitution that voters in Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap had approved in July 1978. Each state chose one senator for a four-year term, and the other ten members served two-year terms. The new Congress met on 10 May 1979 and elected Bethwel Henry as Speaker.

Why it matters

The constitution makes Congress pick the president from the four at-large senators, so this election also set the pool for the first president.