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Elections in Samoa

At the national level, Samoa elects a legislature. The Fono or Legislative Assembly has 51 members elected for a five-year term from 51 electoral constituencies. Prior to 2019, the Legislative Assembly has 49 members, 47 members out of the matai (traditional heads of families) six of whom are elected from two-seat constituencies and 35 from single-seat constituencies, and 2 members by the non-Samoan nationals. The head of state is elected for a five-year term by the Fono.

The voting age in Samoa is 21.

Samoa has a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties.

Latest election

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Human Rights Protection Party49,23755.3825–10
Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi32,51036.5725New
Tautua Samoa Party2,9003.260–2
Samoa First Party2070.230New
Sovereign Independent Samoa Party300.030New
Independents4,0254.531–12
Total88,909100.0051+1
Valid votes88,90999.32
Invalid/blank votes6050.68
Total votes89,514100.00
Registered voters/turnout128,84869.47
Source: Government of Samoa, Seat counts, Registered voters;
Candidate affiliations of all except Vaa o Fonoti,
Anoamaa 1 and Aleipata Itupa i Luga

By-elections

Below is a list of recent by-elections:

Election Date Reason Winner
1998 A'ana Alofi No 1 By-election 24 July 1998 Disqualification of Suafo'a Lautusi Maiava Visekota Peteru (HRPP)
1998 Faleata East By-election 28 August 1998 Appointment of Matai'a Visesio Europa to the Council of Deputies Patau'ave Etuale (SNDP)
1999 Fa’asalele’aga No 1 By-election 21 May 1999 Death of Tofilau Eti Alesana Seumanu Aita Ah Wa (HRPP)
2002 Faleata East By-election 2002 Appointment of Faumuina Anapapa to the Council of Deputies Lepou Petelo II
2002 Alataua West By-election 30 November 2002 Death of Alii-male-manu Sasa Ta’atiti Alofa (SNDP)
2003 Alataua West By-election 1 August 2003 Death of Ta’atiti Alofa Unknown (HRPP)
2004 Fa’asalele’aga No 1 By-election 19 March 2004 Death of Seumanu Aita Ah Wa Tiata Sili Pulufana
2004 A'ana Alofi No 1 By-election 26 November 2004 Death of Apule Pepe Metai Aiono Tile Gafa (HRPP)
2005 Anoama'a East By-election 2005 Elevation of Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi to the Council of Deputies Unknown
2005 Anoama'a West By-election March 2005 Resignation of Tuala Tagaloa Sale Kerslake Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo (HRPP)
2006 Fa’asalele’aga No 2 By-election 24 September 2006 Election of Pa’u Sefo Pa’u declared invalid Rita Pa’u Letoa (HRPP)
2006 Aleipata Itupa-I-Lalo By-election 6 October 2006 Election of Paepae Kapeli Su’a declared invalid (HRPP)
2006 Fa’asalele’aga No 4 By-election 6 October 2006 Election of Mulitalo Sealiimalietoa Siafausa Vui declared invalid Vui Tupe Ioane (HRPP)
2007 Fa’asalele’aga No 2 By-election 2 February 2007 Election of Rita Pa’u Letoa declared invalid Papalii Samuelu Petaia (HRPP)
2007 Faleata East By-election 23 April 2007 Death of Manuleleua Lalagofaatasi Falaniko Leleua Patau'ave Etuale (HRPP)
2007 Vaimauga West By-election 6 May 2007 Death of Sililoto Tolo Tua'ifaiva Patu Ativalu (HRPP)
2010 Vaisigano No.1 By-election 2 May 2010 Disqualification of Va'ai Papu Vailupe Va'ai Papu Vailupe (TSP)
2010 Faleata West By-election 14 May 2010 Disqualification of Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi Ale Vena Ale (HRPP)
2010 Safata By-election 14 May 2010 Disqualification of Palusalue Fa’apo II Palusalue Fa’apo II (TSP)
2011 Aleipata Itupa I Luga by-election 29 July 2011 Disqualification of Taua Kitiona Seuala (HRPP) Fagaaivalu Kenrick Samu (HRPP)
2011 Anoamaa East by-election 29 July 2011 Disqualification of Alai'asa Filipo Schwartz Hunt (HRPP) Alo Fulifuli Taveuveu (HRPP)
2011 Satupaitea by-election 29 July 2011 Disqualification of Tavu'i Tiafau Salevao (HRPP) Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell (HRPP)
2011 Vaisigano No.1 by-election 29 July 2011 Disqualification of Va'ai Papu Vailupe (TSP) Tufuga Gafoleata Faitua (HRPP)
2014 Gaga'ifomauga No.1 by-election 15 August 2014 Death of Tuilo'a Anitele'a Tuilo'a (HRPP) Faimalotoa Kika Stowers (HRPP)
2015 Sagaga-le-Usoga by-election 17 April 2015 Resignation of Muagututagata Peter Ah Him (HRPP) Seiuli Ueligitone Seiuli (HRPP)
2021 Samoan by-elections 26 November 2021 7 seats declared vacant by election petitions 5 FAST, 2 HRPP MPs elected
2022 Gagaʻifomauga 2 by-election 3 June 2022 Death of Vaʻele Paʻiaʻaua Iona Sekuini (FAST) Fo'isala Lilo Tu'u Ioane (FAST)
2023 Vaimauga 3 by-election 24 February 2023 Death of Tapunuu Niko Lee Hang (HRPP) Lautimuia Uelese Vaʻai (FAST)
2023 Faleata No. 4 by-election 15 September 2023 Resignation of Ale Vena Ale (HRPP) Ale Vena Ale (FAST)
2023 Siʻumu by-election 15 September 2023 Resignation of Tuʻuʻu Anasiʻi Leota (HRPP) Tuʻuʻu Anasiʻi Leota (FAST)
2023 Vaʻa-o-Fonoti by-election 15 September 2023 Resignation of Mauʻu Siaosi Puʻepuʻemai (HRPP) Mauʻu Siaosi Puʻepuʻemai (FAST)

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