Deadline to submit petitions to run for Delegate and House seats is tomorrow

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — As of early this week, one candidate petition for the Congressional race and 26 for the local House of Representatives races have been signed and returned to the Election Office for the mid-year 2022 election, according to information provided by the Election Office responding to a Samoa News request, as the deadline to submit candidate petitions is 4:30p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 01.

“Just a reminder to those who have not turned in their petitions yet — don't wait until the last minute; as doing so might put them at risk of not qualifying to be on the ballot,” Chief Election Officer, Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei said yesterday, responding to Samoa News inquiries.

“Our office is busy with screening all signatures from candidates’ petitions, making sure that every signature matches their files,” he said — referring to the signatures of registered voters, who sign the candidate’s election petition.

Local election law states in part that candidates for Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives shall also be nominated by petitions, signed by at least 300 registered voters of the Territory.

And candidates for the local House of Representatives shall be nominated by a petition, signed by at least 25 registered voters of the election district from which he seeks election.

The law further states that executed petitions shall be filed with the Chief Election Officer no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 1st of September of each election year.

Furthermore the Chief Election Officer shall determine whether the nominated candidates are eligible for election, and shall cause ballots to be printed for each office bearing the names of all qualified nominees.

Incumbent Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata has returned her petition for American Samoa’s seat to the U.S House as have 12 incumbent faipule. There are also other possible candidates — including a few incumbent faipule — who picked up petitions but have not returned them, according to Election Office data.

Uiagalelei has already officially proclaimed, in an Aug. 16 public notice and in accordance with local election law, that the 2022 Midterm Election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 from 6a.m. to  6p.m. at designated polling places in Representative Districts throughout the Territory.

As in previous election years, the list of the polling stations, which are usually church halls and guest houses, are released in advance of Election Day giving time for voters to familiarize themselves with the polling stations.

The mid term elections are held for:

•           Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, for a term commencing Jan. 03, 2023 and expiring on Jan. 033rd, 2025;

•           All seats for members of the House of Representatives, Legislature of American Samoa, for a term commencing Jan. 03, 2023 and expiring on Jan. 03rd, 2025; and

•           Referendum on Amendments to the Revised Constitution of American Samoa as required by law.

Amendments to the Revised Constitution are being discussed and debated during this week’s Constitutional Convention which runs through Sept. 02. And the approved amendments will be presented to the Governor to be officially presented to the Chief Election Officer, to be placed on the ballot for the next election.

OTHER ISSUES

Meanwhile, the Election Office said that voter registration is still ongoing and “everything is going smoothly”. Those who have not registered yet will need to bring in their birth certificate, social security card and government photo ID. The deadline is October 11, 2022.

And the Election Office has extended the deadline for applications for temporary poll workers. Instead of the initial deadline of Aug. 29 for application submission to Election office or the ASG Department for Human Resources, the Election Office said anybody that wants to work as a poll worker must apply by Sept.12.