The number of registered voters for this year’s general election dropped by six percent compared to those who registered in the 2012 election, which is when electors also cast ballots for the gubernatorial race.

This is according to statistics provided by chief election officer, Tuaolo M. Fruean during a briefing at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, where Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga called on all ASG entities to provide any type of support necessary to the Election Office to ensure a smooth and successful election this year.

In the 2012 general election, Tuaolo says 17,762 voters were registered but only 74% of them cast ballots. For this year, there are 16,776 on the voter registration roll — a decrease of 6% or 908 voters — compared to two years ago.

(Samoa News should point out that a decline in the number of registered voters is due to a number of reasons, such as people moving off island permanently, death, or someone's name being purged from the voter list for failure to vote in two consecutive elections, and then did not re-register.)

Tuaolo also said that only 43 off-island registered voters — military and students in college — requested absentee ballots when the deadline to do so closed. As of Tuesday, this week, 25 overseas absentee ballots were received by the Election Office.

For local absentee voting — which includes those traveling off island who won’t be on island on election day — 486 of them have cast ballots, he said.

Local absentee voting also includes those individuals confined to the hospital or at home because of illness or a physical disability and those serving as election officials on Election Day. There is no local absentee voting on election day.

According to Tuaolo, voting for those serving as election officials began Monday this week, starting from the Eastern side. He also revealed the various number of ASG employees providing “support group” for the Election Office, with the largest number from the Department of Public Safety at 108 followed by 90 from the Office of Samoan Affairs.

However, the Election Office has a total of 253, which includes those serving as election officials on election day, while only 23 of them are actual Election Office employees.

Lolo reminded directors about local election law, which allows employees two-hours off to cast their ballots. He asked directors to make sure that the absences of workers to vote are staggered in a manner permitting the ASG to remain fully functioning.

Local law (ASCA 6.0504 Employees entitled to leave on election day for voting) states in part that electors on the day of election are entitled to be absent from any service or employment for a period of two consecutive hours, excluding any lunch or rest period between the time of opening and closing of the polls, to cast ballots.

Tuaolo has already designated 44 polling stations — which open for 12 hours starting at 6a.m. — territory wide on election day. He informed the governor and directors that the Election Office as well as American Samoa is prepared for the Nov. 4 general election.

Responding to a question from a cabinet member regarding the new law banning the distribution of free food on election day, Tuaolo said the law is effective this election year and the ban is during the time the polls are open.

He also says that if a candidate wants to set up a tent in the village where the polling station is located, they can do so as long as it’s 100-feet away from the polling station — but it cannot be used for a BBQ site giving out free food.

(Samoa News should point out that the election law also bans setting up tents to distribute any type of beverage, as well as banning billboard campaign signs.)

Responding to another question, Tuaolo said letters have already been sent to all candidates to submit to the Election Office names of their representatives who will sit in polling stations territory-wide as observers.