The Election Office will not have any problem meeting the new federal election law which requires absentee ballots for overseas military personnel to be sent out 45-days prior to the election.
Congressman Faleomavaega Eni in a Dec. 11 letter informed Gov. Togiola Tulafono about the new law called the Military Overseas Voting Enpowerment Act (MOVE), which goes into effect for American Samoa in the 2010 general elections for federal office, which in our case is the Delegate for the U.S. House.
Responding to Samoa News inquiries, Chief Election Officer Soliai T. Fuimaono said yesterday he received the copy of the letter on Tuesday and he will be meeting with the Election Office legal team to review and discuss provisions of the MOVE Act.
“The new law requiring us to send out ballots 45-days before the election will not effect American Samoa because of our current process in printing ballots which will get the ballots out in advance,” Soliai said.
Soliai explained that local law says that the close of business on Sept. 1, every election year, is the deadline for people to register as candidates for the election.
Thereafter, in accordance with local law, a three-day grace period is provided for challenges to be filed. If there are no challenges, then the ballots are printed after 4:00 p.m. on the third day, said Soliai.
After the ballots are printed, they are prepared and stuffed in envelopes for mailing on the next flight out of American Samoa for qualified absentee voters, including military personnel, he said.
“Usually by August, the Election Office has already received off-island requests for absentee ballots. We don’t automatically send out ballots—it has to be requested and we verify them before the person requesting the ballot can be confirmed to be eligible to vote in American Samoa’s election,” he said. “So American Samoa is way ahead on the 45 days cited by the federal law.”
Elections will be held next year on the second Tuesday in November.
Faleomavaega said in his letter that the intent of the new federal law is to “make certain our men and women in the military and other overseas voters are properly served with ballots ... to vote in general, special, primary, and runoff elections, especially for candidates who are running for federal office.”
Soliai said he will respond accordingly to the Congressman’s letter and provide local information.
As the election nears, the Election Office will release more information, especially for military personnel overseas, who are also encouraged to register with the Election Office, if they have not done so, when they are here visiting family in the territory.
Meanwhile, Soliai said registration for new voters has been ongoing since the November 2008 general election. He encourages local residents, who are 18-years old and over—and eligible to vote—to do so.
This is the same advice for students from the American Samoa Community College graduating this week but heading off-island for higher education or for the military. The registration is necessary in order for them to vote absentee next November.
Election Office officials say there have been a lot of people seeking a new voter ID because they have lost or misplaced the first one. But Soliai said ID renewals are not done until after the close of candidate and voter registrations, both in September.
Asked about election outreach programs, Soliai said part of the program includes field trips by schools coming to the Election Office in Tafuna for a tour of the two-story facility, where they get a full explanation of their right to vote.
He said banners are displayed on the ground floor inside of the Election Office Building reminding youngsters of their right to vote in the election process.
“We explain to students the election process, who is eligible to vote and the importance of their vote in the election process, and they are being encouraged to register to vote as soon as they become 18-years old,” said Soliai.
Additionally, outreach programs are being carried out by election officials visiting seniors at high schools.
