Election Office gears up for the Mid-Term Elections in November

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Several candidates hoping to run for public office in the November Mid-Term 2022 election have picked up a candidate nomination petition and have also returned them to the Election Office, as the deadline to file is looming in three-weeks time.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, Chief Election Officer, Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei issued a reminder yesterday to prospective candidates for American Samoa’s Delegate to the U.S House of Representatives and the local House of Representatives races that the close of business on Sept. 1, 2022 is the deadline to file candidate’s nomination petitions and material for the 2022 Midterm Election.

The petition and material is available at the Election Office, which calls on candidates to file as early as possible and not to wait until the last minute. As in previous elections, and in accordance with local law, all petitions are subject to verification by the Election Office.

Data provided by the Election Office, following a Samoa News request, shows that for the Delegate to the U.S House, Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata and candidate Meleagi Suitonu Chapman — who announced her candidacy last month — have already picked up their petitions. But as of yesterday morning, Uifa’atali was the only one of the two to have returned the petition.

For the local House race, 36 candidates including incumbent faipule have already picked up petitions, but only nine candidates (including two incumbents) — as of yesterday morning — have returned their petitions, according to the Election Office data.

On the issue of voter registration — those who have just turned 18-years old; those who have not registered to vote but are qualified; and those who have been purged from the voter registration list should register at the Election Office. Documents needed are: Birth Certificate or Valid U.S Passport, Social Security card and a Government photo ID.

The Election Office said yesterday that the number of total registered voters stands at 13,899 and deadline to register to vote is October 11, 2022.

To all uniformed services voters, overseas voters and students attending institutions of learning outside of American Samoa, Uiagalelei reminded them to submit their request for an absentee ballots for the 2022 Midterm Election.  The online Absentee Request process began on Jan. 1 this year. To request an absentee ballot, go online to the www.aselectionoffice.gov website.

Uiagalelei also says that “uniformed services voters and overseas voters — outside of the US and Territories —  can also use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to request your absentee ballot.”

“So far there were no problems with our absentee voters from off-island, everything is going well,” said Uiagalelei when asked yesterday if the Election Office had encountered any issues or problems with absentee voters — that includes American Samoa students attending colleges off island.

For questions and other information call the Election Office at 699-3570.

American Samoa’s registered voters go to the polls in November to elect its Delegate to the US House as well as 20 faipule for the local House. In American Samoa, Senators are not elected by popular ballot.