By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 15 July 2021 – The Office of the Electoral Commission has recorded the highest number of election candidates at the close of nominations last Saturday.
According to the Electoral Commissioner Toleafoa Tuiafelolo John Stanley, the 191 candidates registered at the close of registrations, is the highest compared to 2021 with 187 candidates, 164 in 2016 and 127 in 2001.
He said the increase in the number of political parties which is 7 compared to the past could be a contributing factor.
Of the 191 candidates, 24 are women and 167 men.
Number of candidates per party
Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) – 61
Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) – 52
Samoa Uniting Democratic Party (SUP) – 26
Samoa Labour Party (SLP) – 6
Tumua ma Pule Reform Republican (TPRRP) -1
Samoa Democratic Republican Party (SDRP) – 1
Independents – 44
Deceased yet to be removed from roll
Toleafoa has also confirmed that the 15,000 plus unregistered voters could be reduced after the names of those who passed since the last election are cleared from the roll.
“We are using the number provided by the 2021 census which is 177, 225 voters to be registered, however, that number remains and we expect will drop after we clear the names of deceased from the roll,” said Toleafoa.
The online registrations also recorded 10,404 locals and only 72 from overseas.
He said 330 applied from overseas but only 72 completed their registrations.
No complaint against Laaulialemalietoa title.
Toleafoa also confirmed that there is no complaint against the reaffirmation of the title Laaulialemalietoa as alluded to by other media.
He said the court’s decision was an order to correct Laaulialemalietoa’s title which opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi continued to claim is not legally registered.
“It is nothing new nor a case, just a correction,” he explained.
Scrutineer training story tomorrow
Toleafoa said 3,000 applied to be scrutineers and volunteer during the election period.
“We are recruiting only 1700 from the applicants and training will begin this week,” he said.
With the registration of candidates over, the next stage is legal challenges on the eligibility of candidates which will close on 18 July and motions to be served by 19 July 2025.
Candidates responses to the challenges closes on 25 July 2025 and the hearings scheduled to start on 29 July 2025 with the final decisions to be delivered by the 15 August 2025.
The OEC is now engaged in checking the candidates and voters’ information before the final roll is released.
