Elections in Samoa

Samoa's electoral framework rests on the Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa 1960, the Electoral Commission Act 2019, the Electoral Act 2019 and the Electoral Constituencies Act 2019. The Office of the Electoral Commission (OEC), led by the Electoral Commissioner, manages voter registration, the electoral roll, candidate and party registration, polling and the count. Samoa uses 51 single-member constituencies and a first-past-the-post system: the candidate who receives more votes than any other candidate wins that constituency. Political parties and independent candidates may contest parliamentary seats. The Head of State is not chosen by a direct popular vote, while Parliament determines government formation. Article 44 of the Constitution provides a minimum representation of 10% women in Parliament, with additional women members added through the constitutional mechanism if the directly elected number does not reach that threshold. A voter must generally be at least 21 years old, a Samoan citizen and registered in one constituency. The normal registration basis is residence in a village or constituency. A person holding a registered matai title, meaning a Samoan chiefly title, may register either where they live or in the village associated with that title. The OEC accepts registration online or in person. Online registration requires a valid email address and electronic documents. The OEC does not list a voter-registration or voting fee. Registration can exclude people in detention under the Mental Health Act 2007, people imprisoned following conviction and people on the Corrupt Practices List, among other legal exclusions. False information in the registration process is an offence. Qualified voters must register, and voting is compulsory. The OEC identifies people who are not registered and registered voters who did not vote within 12 months. A recognized excuse can include death, absence from Samoa, lack of eligibility or another valid sufficient reason. A person who does not vote without an accepted reason may receive a $100 penalty notice; a second notice may lead to proceedings in the District Court. Candidates face additional requirements. They must generally be at least 21, Samoan citizens, registered voters and holders of a registered matai title for the target constituency. They must also have lived in Samoa for at least three years and completed at least three years of monotaga, the service associated with a matai title, by nomination day. A nomination requires at least two registered voters, statutory declarations from two matai and a declaration from the Sui o le Nuu or Sui Tamaitai o le Nuu. The nomination fee is $1,000. The OEC can use community booths to check records such as the MJCA Matai Registration List, the MNRE Freehold Folio Registry and a village mayor's declaration. A voter on the main roll or supplementary roll may vote in the corresponding constituency during ordinary polling. A registered person who is outside their own constituency but still within Samoa may use the special-voter process. Polling usually runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Saturday polling commonly continuing until 7 p.m. A voter already inside the booth when polling closes may still cast the ballot. The voter marks one candidate on a secret ballot paper, normally with a tick. An unclear mark can make the ballot informal. Voters who are blind or have difficulty reading may use the legally permitted assisted-voting process. Election rules also provide employees with the necessary time away from work to vote without a wage deduction. The preliminary count begins at the polling booth immediately after polling closes. Poll clerks and scrutineers sort the ballot papers, set aside informal ballots, announce the booth result publicly and send the result to the Electoral Commissioner. The official count then checks the rolls, processes special ballots and counts the ballot papers. The Commissioner declares the result, publishes a public notice and reports to the Head of State. A tied result leads to a recount before a District Court Judge. An election petition can challenge an election, while a vacancy is filled through a by-election. The 2025 General Election is the latest national election covered by the supplied research; the Vaimauga 3 by-election held pre-polling on 29 April 2026, polling on 1 May 2026, the official count on 2 May 2026 and the return of the writ on 4 May 2026.