View source for Elections in American Samoa

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{{Politics of American Samoa}}

The [[American Samoa]]n Legislature or [[American Samoa Fono|Fono]] has [[bicameralism|two chambers]], the [[American Samoa House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the [[American Samoa Senate|Senate]], which has a directly elected [[head of government]], the [[Governor of American Samoa]].

The [[American Samoa House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] has 21 members, all elected for a two-year term. Fourteen of them are from single-seat [[electoral district|districts]], six are from dual-seat [[electoral district|districts]], and one is elected by a public meeting on [[Swain Island]]. The [[American Samoa Senate|Senate]] has 18 members, elected for a four-year term by and from the chiefs of the islands. The [[Governor of American Samoa|Governor]] and their deputy, the [[Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa|Lieutenant Governor]], are elected to a four-year term with a [[term limit|limit]] of two terms as governor.

Although individuals can and do affiliate with political parties, elections are held on a [[nonpartisanism#United States|non-partisan]] basis, and candidates run without party labels.<ref>{{cite web|title=American Samoa Fono|website=Ballotpedia|url=https://ballotpedia.org/American_Samoa_Fono|access-date=November 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Governor of American Samoa|website=Ballotpedia|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Governor_of_American_Samoa|access-date=November 7, 2020}}</ref> The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on a shared ticket.

As a [[United States territory|U.S. territory]], American Samoa also votes to send a [[Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives|non-voting delegate]] to the [[US House of Representatives]], from [[American Samoa's at-large congressional district]]. The official head of state is the [[President of the United States]]. While American Samoans can vote in party primaries, they cannot vote in the general presidential election.

==Latest elections==
{{Seealso|2020 American Samoa gubernatorial election}}

In [[2020 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa|2020]], incumbent delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives [[Amata Coleman Radewagen]] won re-election to a fourth term with 83.3 percent of the votes.

Also in [[2020 American Samoa gubernatorial election|2020]], Lieutenant Governor [[Lemanu Peleti Mauga]] was elected governor, replacing the term-limited [[Lolo Matalasi Moliga]].

In [[2018 American Samoan constitutional referendum|2018]], a referendum seeking to amend the local constitution, and give the legislature the authority to override the governor's veto instead of the U.S. Secretary of Interior as happens now, was defeated.

==Reform proposal==
In 2001, Congressman [[Eni Faleomavaega]] announced the introduction federal legislation to protect the voting rights of active duty military members whose home of residence is American Samoa.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Faleomavaega introduces legislation to protect the voting rights of active duty military members |publisher=Office of Congressman Eni Faleomavaega |date=2001-11-19 |url=http://www.house.gov/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/ElectionBill.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929225642/http://www.house.gov/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/electionbill.html |archivedate=2007-09-29 }}</ref> There have also been proposals to grant American Samoa a vote in the United States Congress, but these would likely face similar constitutional questions as proposals to grant the [[District of Columbia]] [[District of Columbia voting rights|full representation in Congress]].

==See also==
*[[Electoral calendar]]
*[[Electoral system]]
*[[Political party strength in American Samoa]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050309143912/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/u/usa/territories/samoaindex.shtml Adam Carr's Election Archives]
* [http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=26213 Report on Radio New Zealand] about the 2006 General Election
* {{citation |title=State Elections Legislation Database |quote= State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020 |url= https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/elections-legislation-database.aspx |publisher=[[National Conference of State Legislatures]] |work=Ncsl.org |location=Washington, D.C. }}

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[[Category:Elections in American Samoa| ]]
[[Category:Electoral reform in the United States by location|American Samoa]]

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