View source for Politics of American Samoa

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{{Politics of American Samoa}}
'''Politics of American Samoa''' takes place in a framework of a [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[Dependent territory|dependency]], whereby the [[List of American Samoa Governors|governor]] is the head of government, and of a [[Wiktionary:pluriform|pluriform]] [[multi-party system]]. [[American Samoa]] is an unincorporated and [[Territories of the United States|unorganized territory]] of the [[United States]], administered by the [[Office of Insular Affairs]], [[United States Department of the Interior|U.S. Department of the Interior]]. Its [[Constitution of American Samoa|constitution]] was ratified in 1966 and came into effect in 1967. [[Executive power]] is discharged by the governor and the [[lieutenant governor]]. [[Legislative power]] is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The party system is based on the United States party system. The [[judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.

There is also the traditional village politics of the [[Samoan Islands]], the {{Lang|sm|[[fa'amatai]]}} and the {{Lang|sm|[[faʻa Sāmoa]]}}, which continues in American Samoa and in independent Samoa, and which interacts across these current boundaries. The {{Lang|sm|faʻa Sāmoa}} is the language and customs, and the {{Lang|sm|fa'amatai}} the protocols of the {{Lang|sm|[[fono]]}} (council) and the chiefly system. The {{Lang|sm|fa'amatai|italic=no}} and the {{Lang|sm|fono}} take place at all levels of the Samoan body politic, from the family, to the village, to the region, to national matters. The {{Lang|sm|matai}} (chiefs) are elected by consensus within the {{Lang|sm|fono}} of the extended family and village(s) concerned. The {{Lang|sm|matai}} and the {{Lang|sm|fono}} (which is itself made of {{Lang|sm|matai}}) decide on distribution of family exchanges and tenancy of communal lands. The majority of lands in American Samoa and independent [[Samoa]] are communal. A {{Lang|sm|matai}} can represent a small family group or a great extended family that reaches across islands, and to both American Samoa and independent Samoa.

==Government==
{{main|Government of American Samoa}}

The [[government of American Samoa]] is defined under the [[Constitution of American Samoa]]. As an [[unincorporated territories of the United States|unincorporated territory]], the [[Ratification Act of 1929]] vested all civil, judicial, and military powers in the president, who in turn delegated authority to the [[United States Secretary of the Interior|secretary of the interior]] in {{Executive Order|10264}}. The secretary promulgated the Constitution of American Samoa which was approved by a constitutional convention of the people of American Samoa and a majority of the voters of American Samoa voting at the 1966 election, and came into effect in 1967.<ref name=constitution>[http://asbar.org/revised-constitution-of-american-samoa Revised Constitution of American Samoa], American Samoa Bar Association.</ref>

The [[governor of American Samoa]] is the head of government and along with the [[lieutenant governor of American Samoa]] is elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms.<ref>[https://new.asbar.org/code-annotated/4-0105-term-of-office/ 4.0105 Term of office], Annotated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.</ref>

The legislative power is vested in the [[American Samoa Fono]], which has [[bicameralism|two chambers]]. The [[American Samoa House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] has 21 members serving two-year terms, being 20 representatives popularly elected from various districts and one delegate from [[Swains Island]] elected in a public meeting. The [[American Samoa Senate|Senate]] has 18 members, elected for four-year terms by and from the [[Faʻamatai|chiefs of the islands]].<ref name=constitution/>

The [[judiciary of American Samoa]] is composed of the [[High Court of American Samoa]], a [[District court|District Court]], and village courts.<ref>[https://new.asbar.org/code-annotated/3-0101-vesting-of-judicial-power/ 3.0101 Vesting of judicial power], Annotated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.</ref> The High Court is led by a [[chief justice]] and an [[associate justice]], appointed by the secretary of the interior.<ref>[https://new.asbar.org/code-annotated/3-1001-chief-and-associate-justices-appointment/ 3.1001 Chief and Associate Justices-Appointment], Annotated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.</ref> Other judges are appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the chief justice and confirmed by the Senate.<ref>[https://new.asbar.org/code-annotated/3-1010-district-court-judges-term/ 3.1010 District court judges-Term], Annotated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.</ref><ref>[https://new.asbar.org/code-annotated/3-1004-associate-judges-appointment-term/ 3.1004 Associate judges-Appointment-Term], Annotated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.</ref>

==Elections==
{{main|Elections in American Samoa|}}

==International organization participation==

* [[ESCAP|United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific]] (associate)
* [[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]] (subbureau)
* [[IOC|International Olympic Committee]]
* [[Secretariat of the Pacific Community|Pacific Community]]

==See also==
*[[Political party strength in American Samoa]]
*[[American Samoa's at-large congressional district]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{American Samoa}}
{{Politics in the United States}}
{{Oceania in topic|Politics of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of American Samoa}}
[[Category:Politics of American Samoa| ]]