Elias Camsek Chin

In the 2008 election on 4 November 2008, Chin ran for the presidency, but was defeated in the second round, winning 49 per cent of the vote. Johnson Toribiong was elected president with 51 per cent.

On 2 November 2004, the people overwhelmingly elected Chin Vice President of Palau. Chin defeated incumbent Sandra Pierantozzi in vice-presidential elections held on 2 November 2004, winning 71.1% of the vote. President Thomas Remengesau Jr. temporarily appointed him to the vacant portfolio of Minister of Justice.

In his private life following his term as Minister of Justice, he dedicated his time to designing, building and fundraising for the construction of Father Felix Yaoch Gymnasium. In November 2000, Mr. Chin was elected as a senator to the Sixth Olbiil Era Kelulau (Palau National Congress).

Upon Lieutenant Colonel Chin's retirement from the U.S. Army in 1997, President Kuniwo Nakamura nominated him to the position of Minister of Justice. The Fifth Olbiil Era Kelulau unanimously approved.

Chin served as Minister of Justice for a three-year tenure from 1997 to 2000, and he initiated and completed a number of projects for the Ministry and the community of Palau . He designed and built the three-story BRT Building that now houses the Ministry of Justice Office and the Bureau of Public Safety Administration, using his own Ministry's operating funds and utilizing prisoners as construction workers to minimize costs.

As a youth, Camsek attended Farrington High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. While attending University of Hawaii, Camsek met Miriam Rudimch. Camsek learned that Miriam was a tennis player and, in an attempt to impress Ms. Rudimch, decided to take on the sport (even though he initially found the sport to be boring and preferred to spend his days surfing Hawaii 's famous breaks). This time, however, Cowboy was picked first: Miriam Rudimch and Camsek Chin married on May 21, 1977.

Elias Camsek Chin attended the Electronic Institute of Hawaii, graduating with an AA degree in electronics engineering technology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he also completed the Reserve Officer Training Corps Curriculum and Education course of Study. In 1975 Second Lieutenant Chin was commissioned in the Armor Corps of the U.S. Army. He later branch transferred to Aviation Corps and spent over 20 years as a U.S. Army combat aviator.

Elias Camsek Chin (born 10 October 1949) is a Palauan politician. He served as the Vice President of Palau from 1 January 2005 to 15 January 2009. He was elected as the president of the Senate of Palau from 16 January 2013 to 19 January 2017.

Elias Camsek Chin was born in Peleliu, Palau, on October 11, 1949. His father, Taktai Chin, was the son of a Chinese miner at Angaur and a Palauan mother, and became Palau's first doctor. His mother, Takeko Chin (née Kuratomi) was of Japanese heritage.