The last nine electoral constituencies of Samoa’s 2021 General Election will go through its official count today.
Highly unlikely but numerically possible is a change of result for Salega 1.
As reported earlier this week, the Salega 1 constituency has Fepuleai Faasavalu Faimata Su’a of FAST with 374 votes. Close behind him is HRPP’s Toomata Aki Tuipea with 361 votes. In third place is Tautua Samoa’s Afualo Dr Wood Salele with 359 votes.
There are 13 votes between FAST and HRPP at second place, while Dr Wood Salele of Tautua is 15 votes behind.
The swing is therefore numerically possible but highly unlikely because there are three strong contenders, and as confirmed by Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio, there are only 40 Special Votes yet to be counted today.
For Salega 2 also being counted today, there are 27 votes between FAST party candidate Olo Fiti Vaai and HRPP’s Tapuai Faalogo Vee.
The OEC, however, confirms there are only 24 Special Votes for Salega 2, so Olo is both statistically and numerically safe.
“Special votes are polled from outside of the Electoral Constituencies,” clarified Faimalo.
“These are speciallfy for polling officials, essential workers, patients at hospitals and their carerers, as well as our elderly at Mapufagalele, the Carmalite Sisters and SVSG’s Campus of Hope,” explains Faimalomatumua.
The Office of the Electoral Commissioner have been running on overtime for the past two weeks, since pre-polling began on Monday 5th April, working late into the night with candidate scrutineers to ensure proper process is followed to arrive at the official count for each of the 48 Constituencies that went to poll.
Samoa has 51 Electoral Constituencies, however, three seats were uncontested – HRPP leader and caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi, former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of FAST Party Afioga Fiame Naomi Mataafa, and former Associate Minister of MCIT Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.
Unofficial results issued following polling day last Friday has FAST and HRPP at a deadlock of 25-25 with the balance of power held by Independent candidate Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio of Savaii’s Gagaemauga 1 constituency.
Faimalomatumua has given his assurance that official results will be confirmed and issued by this evening, Friday 16th April, less than one week after polling day.
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