30 Oct 2012

American Samoa officials ready for next week's election

4:12 pm on 30 October 2012

There'll be 45 polling places for next Tuesday's elections in American Samoa.

Election officials who will conduct voting on Aunuu Island and Manu'a will travel there on Monday.

The chief election officer, Soliai Tuipine, says the Election Office is ensuring that none of the staff who will oversee the voting are actively involved in any political campaigining.

Mr Tuipine says anyone proven to be active in campaigning or aligned with a camp will not be accepted in any election related work.

Some pulenuu, or village mayors, who have been the target of complaints for their active campaigning, have been told to keep away from the voting booths on election day.

Mr Tuipine says the Election Ofice has had to replace some of the temporary workers who were trained to conduct the voting in the villages, for the same reason.

Just under 18,000 voters will be casting ballots for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the delegate to the U.S. Congress and 20 members of the American Samoa House of Representatives.