General elections were held in American Samoa on November 6, 2012, to elect a new governor and lieutenant governor, twenty members of the American Samoa House of Representatives and the Delegate to United States House of Representatives.[1] Incumbent governor Togiola Tulafono was term-limited and could not seek re-election.
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Gubernatorial election | |||||||||||||||||
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U.S. House delegate election | |||||||||||||||||
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Lolo Matalasi Moliga was elected governor, while Eni Faleomavaega was re-elected as the U.S. House delegate.
Gubernatorial election
The incumbent, Governor Togiola Tulafono, who had held office since 2003, was term-limited and could not seek re-election.[2] Tulafono, who took office after the death of former governor Tauese Sunia, was elected to his first four-year term in 2004 and re-elected in the 2008 gubernatorial election.[3]
All elections and candidates in American Samoa are nonpartisan, though Faoa Aitofele Sunia is affiliated with the Democratic Party. Slightly less than 17,000 American Samoans were eligible to vote in the 2012 election.[4]
Candidates
Six candidates sought election as the next Governor of American Samoa in 2012.[2] Governor Togiola Tulafono was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term.[2]
- Salu Hunkin-Finau, educator and former president of the American Samoa Community College. Only female candidate for governor.[5]
- Running mate: Iuniasolua Savusa, former Command Sergeant Major in the United States Army[6]
- Timothy Jones, businessman
- Running mate: Tuika Tuika, government official and candidate for governor in 2008[7]
- Afoa Moega Lutu, High Chief of Utulei, former attorney general, and candidate for governor in 2008
- Running mate: Le'i Sonny Thompson, director of the Department of Administrative Services[8]
- Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga, president of the Development Bank of American Samoa
- Running mate: Lemanu Peleti Mauga, territorial Senator[9]
- Faoa Aitofele Sunia, Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa since 2003, affiliated with the Democratic Party
- Running mate: Taufete'e John Faumuina, Jr., former director of Economic Development[10]
- Save Liuato Afa Tuitele, former judge of the High Court of American Samoa
- Running mate: Tofoitaufa Sandra King-Young, founder and CEO of the Pacific Islands Center for Educational Development[11]
Withdrawn candidates
- Utu Abe Malae, director of the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Utility Corporation and second placed candidate in 2008 gubernatorial election; announced candidacy on August 15, 2011, withdrew on October 10, 2011[12][13]
Controversy
The gubernatorial ticket of Save Liuato Tuitele and Sandra King-Young filed a petition in September 2012 against four other campaigns questioning their eligibility to run in the election.[14] Tuitele and Young argued that the other four candidates had not resigned from their government jobs before beginning their political campaigns, as required by law.[14] The four candidates challenged by the Tuitele campaign were gubernatorial candidates Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga and Salu Hunkin-Finau, as well as lieutenant governor candidates Taufete'e Faumuina Jr. and Le'i Sonny Thompson.[15]
The case was heard by the High Court of American Samoa,[14] which turned down the petition allowing all candidates to remain in the election.[16]
Endorsements
Outgoing governor Togiola Tulafono endorsed his lieutenant governor, Faoa Aitofele Sunia, for governor in the six-way election.[17]
Referendum
Voters were asked "Should Article II, Sections 9 and 19 of the revised constitution of American Samoa be revised to give the Fono, rather than the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior, the power to override the Governors veto?"[18]
The proposal would involve amending two parts of the constitution:
| Section | Existing text | Proposed text |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter II article 9 section 3 | Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each house at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall be represented to the governor for his approval. If he does not approve it within 15 days, he shall send it together with his comment thereon to the Secretary of the Interior. If the Secretary of the Interior approves it within 90 days after its receipt by him, it shall become a law; otherwise it shall not. | Not later than 14 months after a bill has been vetoed by the governor, it may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds majority of the entire membership of each House at any session of the legislature, regular or special. A bill so repassed shall become law 90 days after the adjournment of the session in which it was repassed. |
| Chapter II article 19 | An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed while an act required to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior only after its veto by the governor and so approved shall take effect no sooner than 40 days after its return to the governor by the Secretary of the Interior. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act. | An act of the legislature required to be approved and approved by the governor only shall take effect no-sooner than 60 days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed. The foregoing is subject to the exception that in case of an emergency the act may take effect at an earlier date stated in the act provided that the emergency be declared in the preamble and in the body of the act. |
Results
Governor
| Candidate | Running mate | First round | Second round | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| Lolo Matalasi Moliga | Lemanu Peleti Mauga | 4,372 | 33.49 | 6,645 | 52.94 |
| Faoa Aitofele Sunia | Taufete'e John Faumuina, Jr. | 4,315 | 33.06 | 5,908 | 47.06 |
| Afoa Moega Lutu | Le'i Sonny Thompson | 2,521 | 19.31 | ||
| Salu Hunkin-Finau | Iuniasolua Savusa | 893 | 6.84 | ||
| Save Liuato Tuitele | Tofoitaufa Sandra King-Young | 763 | 5.85 | ||
| Timothy Jones | Tuika Tuika | 189 | 1.45 | ||
| Total | 13,053 | 100.00 | 12,553 | 100.00 | |
| Source: Samoa News[19] | |||||
U.S. House delegate
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eni Faleomavaega | Democratic Party | 7,221 | 55.22 | |
| Amata Coleman Radewagen | Constitution Party | 4,420 | 33.80 | |
| Rosie F. Tago Lancaster | Independent | 697 | 5.33 | |
| Kereti Mata'utia Jr. | Democratic Party | 438 | 3.35 | |
| Fatumalala Leulua'iali'i A. Al-Sheri | Independent | 300 | 2.29 | |
| Total | 13,076 | 100.00 | ||
| Source: Federal Election Commission | ||||
Referendum
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 5,852 | 44.92 | |
| Against | 7,177 | 55.08 | |
| Total | 13,029 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 17,774 | – | |
| Source: Direct Democracy | |||