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Official voter registration lists over 17,000 electors

fili@samoanews.com

Over 17,000 electors are now on the voter registration roll for the November 8th general election, when voters go to the poll for the gubernatorial, congressional and the local House of Representatives races.

Voter registration closed at 4:30p.m. Oct. 11 (Tuesday) but around 3p.m. that day, election officials say there were still a lot of people waiting to register despite many advance announcements of the voter registration deadline. Samoa News understands that Election Office staff didn’t get off work until around 8:30p.m.

Chief election officer Uiagalelei Dr. Lealofi Uiagalelei announced just before 3p.m yesterday “so far — with the number of registered voters, the ‘official’ total is 17,339 for the 2016 general election.”

And with more than 17,000 on the official voter roll, the Election Office urges all registered voters to go to the polls on Nov. 8th. Additionally, the Election Office will be releasing soon the number of polling stations as well as their locations territory-wide for Election Day.

As previously reported by Samoa News, it’s usually during elections when there is a gubernatorial race — held every four years — that there are more registered voters.

According to Election Office data presented at the cabinet meeting two months ago, there were 16,780 registered voters in 2014, but only 60.3% (or 10,780) electors cast ballots, compared to 17,769 registered voters in 2012 — with a gubernatorial race — with 74% (or 13,178) voters who cast ballots.

In the 2010 election, when there was no gubernatorial race, total registered voters was 16,124 with 68.3% (or 11,019) who cast ballots; while in 2008 election, which includes the gubernatorial race, the total of registered voters was at 16,780 with 12,419 (or 74%) of voters casting ballots.

Meanwhile, the Election Office reminds registered voters who have not picked up their voter ID to do so at the office in Tafuna.

BAR ASSOCIATION ‘PUBLIC FORUM’

The American Samoa Bar Association is hosting a gubernatorial candidates’ forum at Gov. H. Rex Lee Auditorium, starting at 6p.m today, Thursday, with the candidates for lieutenant governor followed by a break and then the candidates for governor.

“The candidates will be asked questions about crucial local and global issues impacting our government and people of American Samoa,” the bar says in a flyer.  And the public is invited to meet the candidates, learn the issues and hear the answers.

The Bar Association has confirmed that all three gubernatorial teams will be participating in the public forum.